


A Diamonds' Flaw

by Cartoonicaddic



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2018-11-20 01:05:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 68,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11325471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cartoonicaddic/pseuds/Cartoonicaddic
Summary: Diamonds are completely flawless beings...aren't they?  It's easy to forget that in the end, they are gems too, only under much more pressure than anyone could possibly imagine.Pink Diamond came out almost perfect, but she had one glaring flaw that the Diamonds saw and one that she personally didn't like.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, Thanks for checking out my story! I'm not sure how often I'll be updating this (still working on my other story sorry to those waiting for that update) but there should be a few more chapters to this I think. 
> 
> Enjoy.

She was suddenly aware of herself, that she was alive; as if that precise moment was when the spark of life was ignited within her gem. What a strange feeling it was, to suddenly exist. Well, not suddenly exist, but instantly become aware of yourself, she thought to herself. Within that same moment, a deep urge overcame her; she desired to take form. She knew what that was, she didn't know how but her desire to take her form pushed any questions away. She could feel herself now, taking a form to propel herself forward out of the ground and into the open. She started to claw her way out, she had to emerge. She dug in the dark unseeing, but could hear the sounds of the crumbling ground around her, feel it shift around her as she wormed her way through. She was getting close, the ground was becoming easier to shift through. She was excited to emerge and to see what awaited her beyond the ground.

Finally she burst through with a laugh as she couldn't contain her excitement any longer. She was finally free, fully formed. She shook her jagged magenta hair tufts with her hands to get the remaining dirt out of it. Standing over her exit hole she looked herself over. Of course she couldn't look herself in the face (although she did feel it with her hands) but her arms and legs were long and slightly muscular and a pleasant hue of pink. Her torso was a small hourglass shape and she was wearing a skin-tight body suit of white and light-pink coloring that had a diamond-shaped opening on her stomach where her gem was...her gem. She looked hard at it. The body she was admiring was only a solid light projection, but that light pink gem on her belly was her true self. She reached her hands up to it and rubbed it. It was smooth and cool to the touch. She tapped it with her finger and felt a tiny weird sensation throughout her entire being.

As she was looking down, she finally notice that the ground beneath her bare feet looked and felt odd. She knelt down and felt it better with her hands. It was dry and grainy, as if it had nothing left to offer. She looked around; the entire area looked the same way. Clumps of dry decaying matter and grey dirt as far as the eye could see. It was as depressing as it was ugly. She looked up at the sky and gasped. Stars and galaxies as far as the eye could see. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. True, she hadn't seen much in her very short existence but it still was a very beautiful thing to see. Forgetting her ugly surroundings she sat down and looked up at the sky, awestruck at the universes' splendor.

“What an amazing sight,” she mumbled to herself, “I wonder what other wonders are out there?” She was so enamored with the cosmos that she didn't feel or hear the thudding footsteps of three approaching gems. Only when they were standing directly above her did she notice them. She stood up in alarm at the three of them staring at her. She knew who these three were, some deep knowledge already was embedded into her; they were The Diamonds: Blue, Yellow and White, rulers of Homeworld.

Blue Diamond was draped in silky blue robes with silver designs of star systems lightly woven into the fabric. The material looked incredibly soft and the new gem very much desired to reach out to feel it, but had the better sense not to do so. Blue's hair was a ghost-white blue that draped all the way around her front in a loop (an odd form choice) and she gazed down at her with down turned eyes that faintly glimmered with excitement.

Yellow Diamond looked very much the opposite of Blue: Long and tall with sharp and jagged angles. She wore Olive-yellow boots and elbow-length gloves; even her overcoat that reached just past her knees seemed stiff and rigid. The new gem wasn't even sure if what was on Yellow's head was her hair or a helmet. The way she stood with the other two diamonds indicated that she was a very proud gem that took her position very seriously. She didn't look down at her with anger or hate but seemed to be treating this as if this was just another of many tasks that needed to be taken care of before the day was through.

Now White Diamond was a entirely different story. She was taller than the other two Diamonds were, thin and sharp and very...old. It was the only word to properly describe her. She didn't look old, but something about her...one could feel that they were in the presence of something that had seen eons go by. All three of their presence commanded respect out of any gem, and yet she did not fear them, in fact them being there near her filled her with a sense of joy and belonging.

“What a shame,” came the low old voice of White, “she has already emerged. I was hoping to witness it; it is such a rare thing after all. Remind me to reprimand that Peridot when we return to Homeworld for her miscalculation.”

“That can come later,” said the flowing voice of Blue, “for now we have a new diamond, a new sister to attend to.”

“Indeed,” said Yellow who was the first to approach her. She reached out her hand towards her to shake her hand in greetings, “I hope we didn't keep you waiting too lo-” before she could finish, the new diamond flung herself onto Yellow, laughing with delight. It caught Yellow off guard and she took a few steps back but was able to regain balance with the new diamond latched onto her. She had never been hugged as tightly as she was being hugged now. Blue Diamond couldn't help but chuckle at Yellow's expression but in doing that, it caught the new Diamond's attention who now flung herself onto Blue and it was now her turn to be smothered in affection.

“Contain yourself young one,” said White with the same droll tone but there was a sparkle in her eyes that hadn't been there in millennias, “you need to calm and collect yourself.” White couldn't help the small chuckle that came out when the diamond jumped up and latched herself onto her, and gently returned the affection with a pat on her back.

“I'm sorry,” said the young diamond, “I'm just so excited to see you three here. When I came out there was nothing here so I just looked around and-”

“I know,” said White, “life is exciting and new but you're a diamond,” she said standing tall with a presence that instantly demanded respect and attention, “and as such you must conduct yourself as such. We don't even know your name young one,” she said with a very small smile.

“Oh well,” she said pointing to her gem on her stomach, “it's Pink.”

“ 'Pink', what,” Yellow said with her hands behind her back, “you are Pink what.”

“...Diamond,” said Pink a little flatly with a amused smile at Yellow, “I thought that part was a little obvious so I left that out." Yellow sighed and Blue raised a hand to cover her amused smirk.

“Oh Stars,” sighed Yellow pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, turning towards White Diamond, “there's so much to teach her.”

“Indeed,” said White, who had now taken Pink's hand into hers, “but now let us leave this dead moon and return to Homeworld to begin her training.”

“Dead,” Pink said as she looked down at the ground as they walked, “what do you mean dead? Did something kill it?” White glanced down at Pink, not really showing any emotion to her question but seemed to be thinking about what was asked.

“Perhaps you do not have a full concept on all things yet my young diamond,” said White with some off-handed interest, “but dead, as in the moon in which we stand on is dead. It had organic life on it at one point before your gestation inside the center of the moon but...it's not important right now, “she said patting Pink's hand with her long thin hand as they walked toward a space ship. The sight of the ship caused another bout of giddiness in Pink to rise up. She let Whites' thin hand go and ran up towards the ship, not paying attention on how loud her running really was, how much weight each step brought down with it.

“You need to slow down,” called out Yellow, “and don't run! You're going to break something if you do!”

“White,” said Blue walking up to her, “I am concerned about bringing Pink Diamond on the ship. I don't think she fully realizes her full size and strength.”

“Why Blue,” said White with a playful smirk that hadn't been there in centuries, “I do believe you're right, you two better go catch her before she puts holes in the floors, it is your ship after all, isn't it Blue?” With that, Blue Diamond hurried after Pink (not as fast as her) and luckily caught up with her before she could do some true damage to the ship. White Diamond knew she should be more concerned than she was, but it had been eons since she felt this way. It had been so long since she felt this...sense of joy of seeing another being just excited to exist, and with such an air of innocence that went with it.

However, that old haggard part of her, that ancient ruler who knew better pushed her sense of joy away and presented the cold hard facts in her face. Pink Diamond wasn't acting right. She should know what a dead moon was and what caused it's death. She wasn't defective (to her knowledge she wasn't), she wasn't over or underdeveloped, but she clearly didn't know how to behave like a diamond should. Instead she was running around like a small common gem. Perhaps something went wrong with her formation? She didn't seem slow or foolish, just naive. Whatever the case, it was up to her and her fellow diamonds to instruct Pink on how to act, for her own sake and the good of the empire.

 

* * *

 

 

Inside the ship, the blue lights glowed dimly giving the area a cool relaxing environment. Pink could hardly contain her excitement. She knew that once airborne and back on Homeworld they would soon be surrounded by more gems than she could count. However there had to be other gems on the ship, right? She really wanted to meet with them too, to speak and get to know them better. She went to go walk down a hall to find some when she felt herself being pulled back by someone. She turned back to see Yellow, looking mildly annoyed.

“Pink,” she said calmly, “I know you're excited, but you need to not bound around like you currently are. You will break things on the ship if you do or accidentally poof or worse shatter another gem. You need to be mindful on where you're going and where you step.” Pink snickered at this, causing Yellow to raise her eyebrow.

“What are you talking about Yellow,” she said waving her hand “how could I break something just walking around or hurt another gem?” Now it was Yellow's turn to be confused.

“What are _you_ talking about Pink,” she asked, “don't you kno-”

“I'm sorry Yellow,” said Pink as she interrupted, raising her hands to her ears, “but I didn't realize till now that our voice's are so loud. Is it the ship's doing? I'll talk softer so I won't hurt your ears,” she said as she lowered her voice. Yellow looked on, and it dawned on her that Pink Diamond didn't really realize what she truly was. Yellow turned to the approaching Blue and White Diamond.

“I'll take her to my chamber,” said White, “I need to explain some things to her. We'll talk more on Homeworld.” Pink looked over at her other sisters who gave each other strange glances as they turned down their own hallways.

“Did I do something wrong,” asked Pink.

“No Pink,” said White, “to be honest I'm not sure what went wrong but let's first go to my chambers and we'll talk from there. Pink nodded and followed White down the halls. However, Pink didn't like how slowly White walked down the hall. White moved very gracefully but she seemed to take each step with great consideration and care and it surprised Pink how silently she moved. Pinks' movements in the halls however were booming. Each step thudded and rattled the ship, and this didn't go unnoticed by Pink herself. She was starting to become more self aware of what Yellow was talking about, but she really didn't quite know how to carry herself any other way so she tried to match how White was walking. White glanced behind herself and saw this and couldn't help but smile at the awkward movements of Pink Diamond as she tried to mimic herself. Soon they reached Whites' chambers and in the middle of the room was a large soft bed and a large chair. White glided over towards the chair and sat in it and activated a communicator on it.

“Yes, my Diamond?”

“Set a course for Homeworld,” said White Diamond, “but don't start the ship until I tell you to do so,” she turned to Pink Diamond and motioned towards the bed, “please, make yourself comfortable. We've a long way to go and much to discuss.” It was Pink Diamonds' first time seeing a bed, she didn't know what a bed's purpose was but it looked so soft and the urge was too great. Before White Diamond could even react, Pink Diamond took three bounds and jumped onto the bed with the most satisfied look on her face. Of course the impact didn't go unnoticed by the entire flight crew.

“My Diamond, what was that,” cried out the gem on the other side of the communicator.

“The reason why I told you not to take off,” said White with a small sigh, “you may set course now.”

“Y-Yes, my Diamond,” said the gem and then the connection was cut. White then looked up at Pink who was now in the middle of burying her face in the pillows with a very content sigh. White should be mad, any gem under her court who would behave like this would have been severely reprimanded or even been shattered by now, but for some strange reason Pink Diamond seemed to have this charm about her that made her shortcomings much more tolerable. At least for the moment, she was only a few hours old (if even that) and from what she could tell, didn't fully grasp herself.

“Pink,” White said as if she were addressing one of her subordinates and not a fellow Diamond, “I need you to listen to me for a moment so pay attention.” Pink sat back up with one of the pillows in her arms. She couldn't help but feel like she was in some sort of trouble. White interlaced her long fingers together and looked over her very carefully.

“I have seen this before,” White finally said very slowly, “but it has been so long ago that I thought it wouldn't happen again. It's been hundreds of millennias since I've seen this happen...never thought I'd see it in a diamond,” she murmured to herself.

“Seen what happen,” Pink asked quietly.

“When a gem is made,” White said, “it is made to already know what it's purpose is; what it needs to do, what it's for. It seems,” she said taking her long fingers and casually fluttering them while they were still intertwined, “that while you were being made, you just didn't get all your information. That's all.” Pink clutched harder at the pillow. Gems needed to be made perfect, she knew that. They were judged on how flawless their cuts and clarity were and that determined their ranking and placement for the rest of their lives...and if they even lived or not.

“So,” Pink ask after she gathered all of her courage, “am I a defective diamond then?” White Diamond quietly hummed at the question, perhaps she had been wondering that herself? She slowly stood up and approached Pink sitting on the bed. For the first time in her short life, Pink was feeling a sense of dread as she saw a very different look on White's face; it was a face of cold indifference as she wasn't even looking at her, rather down where her gem was. White moved the pillow away to uncover Pinks' gem and then reached out with both hands and leaned down to get a closer look at it. Pink couldn't help but squirm a little as White's fingers examined her gem as her long fingernails brushed on her stomach. Pink worried if she turned out to be indeed defective, what would happen then? Would White take matters into her hands right there, and shatter her exposed gem on the spot? She tried not to think about it but as White continued her examination she couldn't help but flinch and snicker...apparently she was ticklish there and it took all she had to remain as serious as she could. Finally White looked up at Pink with the same blank expression that slowly melted into a very small smile.

“No young one,” she said, “I see no physical flaws in your gem. You are perfectly well formed.” Pink sighed in relief and couldn't help but put both hands over her gem when White walked back over towards her chair.

“It seems to me,” said White more to herself than to Pink as she sat back down, “that there is just that old anomaly when it comes to knowledge embedment. Let's see how much you truly know. What are you,” she asked her. Pink Diamond sat straight up and replied:

“I am a gem, a space-faring race that has been colonizing planets for hundreds of thousands of years.”

“Very good,” said White Diamond, “Who are you and what group do you belong too?”

“I am Pink Diamond, a new member of The Great Diamond Authority, which is the matriarchal body of the three governing leaders of Homeworld and it's colonies.” White Diamond hummed in agreement. She tilted her head and turned the chair around to gaze out the window at the racing cosmos.

“How very strange,” White mused, “it seems that you have most of the important knowledge, but some minor things have just simply been missed. No matter, you will soon learn in time,” White turned to her with another small smile on her face, “not everything can be programmed into oneself anyway now can it? Sometimes I wish I emerged with all my knowledge embedded within me,” she said leaning her head on her hand wistfully looking at nothing in particular, “that would have saved me thousands of years worth of trouble.” Pink smiled and chuckled at it.

“It must have been hard to learn everything for yourself,” she said. White closed her eyes and turned the chair around away from Pink.

“Yes it was,” she said quietly, sounding as if she really didn't like thinking about that part of her life, “I'm sorry but I'd like to change the subject, my personal history is very quite boring in the beginning...it would put you to sleep.”

“Sleep,” Pink asked. White quietly laughed, it sounded odd as if she was starting to fully remember how to laugh properly again.

“It's something that organic life forms must do to live, gems can sleep as a luxury but it's not necessary. What you sit on is called a 'bed', it's a piece of furniture used for sleep.” Pink looked at the bed, then looked back up at White.

“I'm not completely sure what sleep is but...what is organic life? You spoke of it on the moon, could you elaborate more about it?” White Diamond hummed in slight disappointment and pressed a button on her chair. She waited for a reply and soon enough a quick static sound came on, followed by a quiet voice on the line:

“Yes, My Diamond?”

“Pearl,” said White Diamond, “I need you to come into my chambers and bring my Diamond Line communicator with you, I need to make a call to Homeworld to set something up before we arrive.”

“Right away, My Diamond,” said the Pearl as she ended the transmission.

“When we arrive on Homeworld,” White said, “I had hoped that we could start working on your new colonies right away, but it seems we must see what you do and don't know first. It's very important that a leader knows what she is doing Pink, and you are going to be a leader.”

“Obviously not a very good one,” mumbled Pink. White Diamond stood up and walked over to Pink and sat down next to her.

“Now now,” she said, “you'll be a fine leader, it will just take extra time. You should have seen Yellow when she first started leading. She made so many little mistakes it was quite comical. Blue quickly became overwhelmed with all of what was required of her, even I've made mistakes...many mistakes,” she said trailing off. Pink looked at her.

“Are you okay,” she asked, “you look sad.”

“I'm fine,” White said as her face became that blank expression again. The door opened up and White Diamonds' pearl gracefully strode into the room and when she reached the two sitting diamonds she gave the diamond salute and presented the requested communicator. However instead of looking at her diamond, the pearl couldn't help but look at the new diamond because Pink was looking down at her as if she was the most unusual sight that she had ever seen in her entire life. She just kept staring at her with wide-eyed curiosity, as if she couldn't believe what she was looking at.

“Thank you Pearl,” said White reaching down and gently taking the communicator from Pearls' hands. Pink kept looking down at the pearl in near disbelief.

“White,” she gently asked hoping she wouldn't offend her, “why do you have such a small pearl? I didn't even know they could make them this small.” Both White and her pearl looked at Pink as if she had suddenly grown two heads.

“What are you speaking of Pink,” White asked her.

“I'm just saying it would make more sense to have a gem-sized pearl,” Pink said to her, “I think it's incredibly wonderful of you to keep this pearl in service, but having a normal sized pearl would be more practical, wouldn't it?” White put a hand to her chin that covered her mouth and sadly sighed. She didn't like where this was going.

“It seems another lost part of knowledge was of gem size differences,” she said mostly to herself, “Pearl,” she commanded her, “allow Pink Diamond to grab hold of you.” Pearl looked up at her diamond in shock but quickly did the diamond salute and said in a shaky voice:

“Y-Yes, My Diamond.” Pearl then walked up closer to where Pink could reach her without stretching too far but she seemed very nervous about it. It seemed that Pearl already knew what would most likely happen to her. Pink looked at the little Pearl then over at White.

“Go on Pink,” White gently urged her, “pick her up, but be very mindful of her gem.” Pink reached down towards the little pearl and being very careful of where her gem was (It was on her chest) she started to close her fingers around the figure of the pearl...only to immediately poof the little thing back into her gem. Pink sat back up horrified.

“I-I'm sorry,” she quickly said, “I didn't mean to do that! I just barely started to close my hand and-”

“It's alright,” said White as she gently picked up the pearls' gem in her fingers, “Pearl is fine. I am glad you took great care of her gem however...you would have shattered her instantly otherwise.”

“I didn't mean to hurt such a weak little thing,” Pink said as she started to tear up, “how can such a small thing not be poofed wherever she goes?” White bubbled the pearl and allowed it to float up out of the way so she would be safe until she was ready to reform.

“Come with me,” White finally said, “you need to see more gems to understand.” Pink followed White out of the room and down the halls. As they slowly walked, White finally said very quietly:

“Gems come in all shapes and sizes, from the small lepidolite to the large imposing dumortierite quartz...do you know where we fall in this category my young one,” she asked finally glancing over her shoulder. Pink thought about it.

“Well,” she finally had to say truthfully, “I'm not completely sure. I would guess somewhere in the middle but closer to the larger end?” White paused and turned to her and raised her eyebrow, it was a very strange look for the ancient gem to have on her face.

“We are diamonds,” she stated flatly, almost completely covering her annoyance of Pinks ignorance but was not quite successful, “the top of the elite; what should that tell you about yourself?” Pink took in a deep breath, she was embarrassed that she didn't know this when she obviously should. Whites' expression softened when she saw how uncomfortable she made Pink, but she didn't say anything further, she turned and continued walking toward the bridge of the ship. She had to show her. When they reached the door to the bridge and entered it, Pink was surprised how...small the bridge seemed to be. She walked up next to White but had to be uncomfortably close to her as there wasn't much standing room for both of them on the small platform where they stood.

“Who designed this,” Pink whispered to White, “there's hardly any standing room on this platform for even one gem.” White smiled and chuckled at the comment but said nothing further on it. The ships captain saw her diamond had come onto the bridge and quickly approached the two diamonds while saluting.

“Welcome to the bridge, my glorious Diamond,” said the gem as she bowed, “I'm Botswana Agate, Facet-438R Cut-2TQ. It is an honor for me and my crew for you and the new radiant diamond to grace us here on the bridge. How may I serve you, my diamonds?” White went to say something but couldn't help but feel Pink painfully squeezing her arm and somehow press up closer to her.

“White,” she whispered into her ear...the poor thing sounded distressed, “they're all so small.”

“They are not,” was all she whispered back to her then speaking out loud to Botswana, “I wished to see how the bridge was being run as we returned to Homeworld. I would like to observe your crew as you work.” Botswana grew rigid at the thought of any possible mistakes that could happen in front of not only their diamond but the supreme diamond, but she bowed low and hid her anxiety well.

“Of course my diamond,” she said, then turned back towards her crew, “continue as you were!” The crew turned back to their work stations and hurried back to what they had originally been doing, only now feeling the pressure of not one but two pair of diamond eyes watching them. White quietly observed as the gems scurried along, trying to impress her as they worked running the ship. She turned to look at Pink who was still clinging on her arm, she seemed greatly confused but seemed to be finally understanding. After a half-hour of silent observation, White announced that the crew was doing the empire proud and to continue their work and finally Pink and she returned to her room. White sat back down in her chair but saw that Pink was still standing in the doorway. She seemed as if she was deep in thought but wasn't very happy about what she was thinking about.

“Something wrong young one,” she asked. Pink looked up at her with a very solemn look.

“We're giants,” she quietly said.

“Yes,” White said matter-of-factly, “normally you would have known that when you emerged but clearly that information was lost,” she tilted her head at Pinks' distress, “does this bother you somehow?” Pink looked to the side as she held her arms and shrugged her shoulders a bit.

“It does,” she said quietly, “I'm sure it must sound ridiculous to you but...I was very much looking forward to being with other gems when we reached Homeworld.”

“You can still do that,” said White.

“No, what I mean is,” said Pink throwing her arms up, “I mean actually being with them! Sitting with them, dancing with them, sharing stories, being close at hand...but now I don't think I could even _FIT_ in the same room with them unless it was made for me!”

“Pink,”

“What if I accidentally step on someone,” she said with raising hysteria in her voice, “and you saw how I poofed your pearl just trying to pick her up, what if I crush someone's gem on accident? I'd never forgive myself.”

“You'll learn in time how to control yourself,” White said, “not even Blue and Yellow knew how at first. I'm not sure why this upsets you so.” Pink didn't say anything.

“I think you should try sleeping,” White said pointing to the bed, “just lay down on the bed, close your eyes and relax and try not to think of anything until you eventually sleep.” Pink looked at the bed, she didn't know how that would help but if it would somehow calm her down then so be it. She laid down on the bed on her stomach and put the pillow under her chin and closed her eyes.

“Am I asleep then?”

“No,” said White standing up, “you will know when you are drifting off to sleep. If my pearl was here I'd have her sing you a lullaby,” she said moving the bubble that contained the pearl with a small smile. (It was surprising how much she was doing that today)

“What's a lullaby?”

“A gentle song to help one to go to sleep,” said White.

“Could you sing one,” asked Pink. White looked at her. She shook her head and this time a very large smile graced her face.

“I haven't personally sung in thousands of years,” she said, “I'm sure it would sound horrible.”

“How would I know,” said Pink, “I've never heard you sing before or anyone else for that matter so it'll be the most beautiful song I've ever heard.” White finally truly laughed at that.

“Very well,” she said, “but I must warn you, I truly am out of practice.” White walked over to the window and put her hands behind her back and stood there for a moment, then started to sing a very slow song in a language that Pink could not understand. Even if she couldn't understand the lyrics, Whites' low tone and passion was haunting and made Pink slightly shiver. As she listened she started to feel strange...she felt heavy and she had a hard time keeping her eyes open. Was this what it felt like to drift off to sleep? It was just like before she emerged from the ground, only the opposite. She decided she liked this feeling right before she fell asleep.

As White finished the ancient song from a long dead race (she couldn't even remember the name of the species) she looked down at Pink who was now gently breathing. It was strange that gems would default to such a biological process as respiration when they slept, then again sleep was another biological process in itself. She really was surprised at Pinks' distress in finding out her size difference, but it didn't matter.

“You'll find your way,” White whispered quietly as she stood over Pink, “you have too, we are diamonds...we have no other choice.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always had a feeling that PD didn't like her size, how could you interact with others when you're so big? So...here we go~


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you find any spelling errors, please tell me~

Pink woke up slowly, she still felt heavy but it wasn't a unpleasant feeling. She took in a sharp, deep breath and found herself stretching her limbs and arching her back. It was very satisfying. Sleep, she decided, was a very pleasant experience. She sat back up and looked around, White wasn't in the room anymore. How long had she been asleep anyway? She didn't really ask how long an activity like sleep lasts. She went to the door and looked at the panel screen and realized she didn't know how to activate it, White was the one who had always opened the doors. Looking at it, it seemed simple enough so she reached out to the panel to activate it and was delighted that the door opened, but then felt her hand shift down on the panel. She looked down and saw that she had crushed the screen; electric sparks danced between shards of thick glass. Hopefully Blue Diamond wouldn't be too mad about the broken panel.

Pink stepped into the hallway and walked down it, brushing the glass off of her hand as she went. She soon could hear the voices of the other diamonds speaking with each other. She picked up her pace to meet up with them, seeing that they were standing in a lounge area of the ship clearly meant for them; letting the others noisily know that she was on her way. The three watched her trot up to them, however there was a small grimace on Blue Diamond's face as she was slightly worried about any possible damage to her ship.

“Glad you could finally join us,” said Yellow, “we were about to fetch you ourselves. How was your rest?” She sounded as if she particularly didn't care for the answer but wanted to start a conversation.

“It was very nice,” Pink said, “I wouldn't mind doing it again in the near future.”

“But it's such a waste of time,” said Yellow with a sigh, “hours of time on what could be used on something of value instead used to just,” she shrugged indicating that she didn't quite understand the reason for it, “lay there in such a vulnerable state. A completely useless activity.”

“Have you ever slept,” asked Pink.

“Never,” said Yellow, “I have better things to do with my time.”

“It's so relaxing though! Perhaps you should do so in the future,” said Pink earnestly, “you seem like you really could use some much needed rest.” Yellow said nothing but closed her eyes and drew in a very deep breath; Blue was stifling a chuckle.

“Blue,” said Pink sheepishly as she turned to her, “I almost forgot, when I activated the door's panel screen in the room...I broke it. I really am sorry.”

“It's alright,” said Blue with a wave of her hand, “it was an accident.” Pink felt better, she was half expecting Blue to be angered...she wasn't sure why.

“My Diamonds,” came the voice of Botswana Agate over the intercom of the ship, “we have arrived at Homeworld and should be reaching the capital city within the next ten minutes.” 

“Very good,” said White, the first thing she said, “once we are on Homeworld, we shall go to the Temple to make further plans. 

“Temple,” said Pink looking away, “that's...the headquarters of the Diamond Authority, isn't it?”

“Indeed,” said Blue in a hushed tone, “White did tell us of your unfortunate anomaly while you slept.” Pink started to blush at that but was reassured with Blue placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“We will talk more about this in the privacy of the temple,” said White, “for now let us make the proper arrangements and prepare to disembark,” she said gesturing to the large sofas, clearly meaning for the four of them to sit and wait the remaining time. Pink went to take a step forward toward one of the sofas but then was stopped so suddenly by the arm of Yellow that she lost her balance; catching herself but at the cost of putting a deep sizable dent in the floor of the ship where the heal of her foot was. Pink was about to complain on what Yellow was doing, but Yellow pointed down to where Pink was about to step. Standing there reverently but clearly still shaken, was a blue pearl. The pearl was out of the other diamonds' way but hadn't considered the unknown nature of the new diamond and where she had positioned herself between her mistress and White Diamond, it left her with no escape routs. The pearl would have either been kicked or crushed by Pink.

“You need to watch were you're going,” said Yellow sternly to Pink, “next time there may not be someone to pull you back.” Pink felt terrible, of course Yellow and Blue had their own pearls and she hadn't even bothered to look for them. Looking down, she could see Yellow's cream-colored pearl standing close by, ready for her mistresses' call. She had a reserved expression as she stood there but her eyes clearly stated that she was quietly judging the new diamond and had made up her mind to keep well out of her way unless she wanted a short life. Pink then looked down at the blue pearl, who had at this point stepped more out of the way but bowed humbly at Pinks' gaze.

“I'm really sorry,” Pink said quietly. The blue pearl looked up at her (however with her hair in the way of her eyes it was rather hard to tell if she acknowledged her apology or not) but Blue Diamond was quick to speak up: 

“It's alright dear,” she said, although her voice sounded tighter than last time, “the dent in the floor will be an easy fix, no permanent damage.” Pink looked over at Blue and was about to correct her mistake but again felt it best to let it go.

 

* * *

 

 

Soon the time came to disembark the ship but even though she was very excited to get off and see Homeworld for the first time, Pink was more than happy to slowly trail behind her sisters to avoid any more mishaps for the day. However once outside of the ship, and as she caught her first glimpse of Homeworld, her fascination of her surroundings captivated her once again. Homeworld was nothing like she had envisioned, true she had a general idea thanks to her fragmented knowledge, but actually seeing the towering buildings, the inverted pyramids and the grandeur of the designs...it was intoxicating. The sun was at high noon but she could still see the stars twinkling in the lavender sky. She was jarred from her gawking when a loud booming voice cried out:

“All hail the return of our radiant diamonds!” There was a large crimson carpet leading down the ships' ramp all the way down to where another smaller ship was awaiting them. On both sides of the carpet was several rows of large gem soldiers all standing tall and proud giving the diamond salute. As they walked down the carpet, Pink couldn't help but gaze down at all the different gems that were there. Some were wearing very fine appearance modifiers that must have been very taxing to construct. Many of the gems had their eyes cast down, as if it was wrong and improper if they were to gaze up at them. Only ones that seemed to be very high up in the social caste seemed 'entitled' enough to look upon them , most of the gazes were directed at her. Feeling a bit self-conscious, she smiled politely and waved at the group of onlookers who would quickly adverted their eyes and murmured amongst themselves. Pink put her hand down and sheepishly continued on with the others, hoping she hadn't done something faux pas. Soon all four of the diamonds were inside the small ship and were on their way to the Temple. Pink couldn't help but sigh in relief.

“Everything alright Pink,” asked White who was sitting to the side of Yellow, whom was sitting directly in front of Pink. Pink shifted nervously in her seat, bumping elbows with Blue who didn't seem to mind.

“No, not really,” she said sinking down in the chair, “I know I shouldn't be nervous like that but...I just feel so...” she shrugged and sank lower.

“Sit up,” said Yellow, “and keep your back strait. I know you're upset but that's no reason to slide down onto the ships' floor.” Pink squinted her eyes at her and sank a bit lower.

“Keep going and I'll use you as a footrest,” Yellow warned. Pink huffed, but did as she was asked and sat back up. There was an awkward pause after that. Pink looked around at the others as they silently sat there. White Diamond had her eyes closed, as if she was taking this time to finally clear her mind of some unwanted static. Blue had her cloak draped over her eyes so it was hard to tell if she had her eyes closed as well or not, but she kept very still. Yellow had her arms folded and her right leg crossed over her left, but she kept a vigil look about her. She seemed to be studying Pink quietly, but not judging...just studying. Pink couldn't help but look away from her gaze and fidget with her hands. The ship slowly came to a stop and the doors were opened by White Diamond's pearl, who eyed Pink with caution.

Stepping out of the ship she could finally look up at the Temple; it was enormous. It was clearly in the image of White Diamond only very stylized. It was very clean and pristine (it looked as if it was brand new) but something about it told Pink that the temple itself was old, very old.

“Did you build this place White,” asked Pink. White turned to her and then looked up at the temple.

“No. This temple was built as a gift for me by the very first generation of gems that I created as thanks for creating our culture,” White blinked and seemed to smile at the memory, “I'm certain their gems would glow brightly and proudly knowing that their gift still existed to this day.”

“Do any of them still exist then,” asked Pink.

“No,” White said, and by the tone of her voice that indicated it was the end of the conversation. Stepping inside the temple was truly awe inspiring, as they walked deeper in, it was if they were stepping back in time. The walls were decorated with murals with what appeared to be the diamonds' accomplishments throughout the ages, but Pink also noticed that there were also murals of other gems too. Not as grand as the diamonds' murals, but they were there all the same. Soon they reached the Diamond Throne Room, the grandeur of the room with the three colors of the diamonds intertwined was truly glamorous. There was white, yellow and blue marble pillars with marble floors; there was even some on the walls. Golden decorations with cobalt glass and nacre decorations. The tricolor scheme was perfectly balanced; one color did not over power the other. In the back of the room were three thrones and judging by color it was easy to guess who owned which one. Blue saw Pink gazing around the room with wonderment and smiled.

“Impressed,” she asked Pink.

“It's just so incredibly beautiful in here,” Pink breathed, still looking around and resisting the urge to go pick things up to get a better look at them in fear of breaking them.

“It is,” said White as she too took a quick glance around, “but we'll have to redesign the room once again now that you're here Pink. That of course brings us to why we are here,” White said sitting down in her throne, “we need to discuss Pink Diamond's anomaly.” The other two diamonds nodded in agreement.

“Normally,” White continued, “a new diamond would take immediate charge of her own colonies and affairs but we, and even herself, can't be sure of what she knows. My usual involvement will be to order the construction of Pink's Kindergarten. Now about the throne room,” she said rubbing her chin.

“I shall do that,” said Blue turning to White as she sat down on her throne, “I am the one in charge of the arts of Homeworld after all, it will be no trouble for me and my court to redesign the room.”

“Very well Blue,” said White, sitting back up in her throne, “the task is yours. You will also be in charge of commissioning all of her required necessities: her throne, her private chambers in the temple and any vehicles she may require. Pink can add any later design choices if she chooses to do so, but for now she must focus on her education.” Blue nodded her head in agreement and had a small excited smile on her face, it seemed that she liked this sort of thing.

“In the matter of her education,” said Yellow still standing next to Pink, “I will personally see to it.” This caused Pink to turn to look at her with some shock and even Blue had a surprised look on her face, White however had a raised eyebrow and rested her chin on the back of her hand.

“How strange of you Yellow,” she said, “you usually have so little time for such activities, and haven't you just recently acquired your seventh colony?”  
  
“That is true,” said Yellow, “However, I feel I can manage both activities. Besides in the matter of her education,” she said as she put her hands behind her back, “I think it's best to make sure that it's done properly.”

“And you feel it best you handle this, because you believe you are the most capable among us,” said White with a small smile.

“I do, and I am.” said Yellow as if she was stating a very obvious fact. White chuckled and moved her hand away from her chin and sat back in her throne.

“Very good Yellow, the task is yours. The Library is the best place to begin and once her chambers are built, she can study in private. Go now you two,” she said waving her hand, “and we will meet here in thirty days time.” Yellow nodded and took Pink by the arm and the two left the throne room, leaving Blue and White to their own affairs.

As the two walked down the halls, Pink couldn't help but be slightly disappointed. She had hoped that White or even Blue would be the one who would help teach her, seeing that Yellow was...more stern but perhaps this was for the best? It would give her a good chance to get to know her second eldest sister better and she her.

“Pearl,” said Yellow, jarring Pink out of her thinking, “have my private cruiser ship pick us up and take us to The Library.”

“Yes, My Diamond,” the pearl eagerly said and quickly bounded away to Pinks' surprise. It really did surprise her how fast she would forget about the pearls, they were just so...quiet and kept out of the way.

“How do you remember about your pearl,” asked Pink turning to Yellow, “I'd forgotten that they were even there.”

  
“I suppose it comes just from having them for so long,” said Yellow, “but you need to be more aware of your surroundings Pink,” Yellow said flatly, “at our size it's easy to do some serious damage.” Pink sighed and just nodded her head, Yellow was harsh but right. She hadn't really put to the test as of yet with other gems, but now? It made her nervous and she still felt clumsy, more clumsy than a diamond should be anyway. The two stood outside the Temple for only a moment before a golden ship approached them and gently landed close to them. Yellow's pearl quickly (yet gracefully) ran over towards the ship and opened the door for the diamonds. Yellow gestured to Pink indicating that she wished for her to step inside first so Pink crawled inside and was delighted to see that this time there were faintly yellow-tinted windows. 

“You may proceed,” said Yellow to the driver of the ship with a wave of her hand. The driver bowed and the ship took to the sky. As they flew over the sprawling city, Yellow looked at Pink through the corner of her eye. Currently, Pink had her face pressed up to the window to look down at the city landscape with a very broad yet sincere smile on her face as she watched it go by. There were two words that White Diamond had told her about the past that seemed to describe this: childish and childlike; she couldn't decide which word would be best to use in this situation.

 

* * *

 

 

Soon they arrived at The Library and stepped out of the yellow cruiser, Pink looked up at the large building and spires, especially with one extremely large spire. The Library wasn't as big as the Temple but it was definitely much more interesting looking, at least to Pink it was. There were also other gems here too! They were casually walking around the fountains and statues that decorated the grounds of the building. As soon as most of the gems saw them, they would either salute or bow and make way for them as they walked towards The Library. This was the first time that Pink really felt the reality of her size. It felt like she and Yellow were walking on a scaled down model because when they approached the building she saw that The Library was built for smaller gems, not for them. She could even see some of the very small gems bounce from her clumsy stepping, and she wasn't the only one to notice it too, some gems were whispering to each other. Pink looked at the front entrance and quietly wondered how they were even going to fit through the door. She started to kneel towards it when she felt Yellow gently pull her arm.

“Our door is right here,” Yellow said with a sigh as she activated a hidden panel that opened up the front of the library's entrance that matched the diamond's height and width. Pink blushed and cleared her throat and followed Yellow inside. There was one thing about the building, there was not much standing room for the diamonds. Their heads barely cleared the ceiling, luckily there was a large opening in the center of the library that showed the different floors so didn't feel so tight after that. In the center of the open area there was a desk, and at that desk was a Yellow Rhodizite who promptly stood up and trotted over towards her diamond and bowed low.

“My Diamond, welcome to The Library,” she said still bowing, “you honor me and my position with your presence my glorious diamond. How may I serve you and-” she looked over and noticed Pink Diamond for the first time, “Oh my! A new diamond! Forgive me for not noticing you, your radiance!”  
  
“It's alright,” said Pink, “I just emerged only about a day or so ago so I don't think many gems know about me just yet, if at all.”

“Rhodizite,” said Yellow who was ready to get down to business, “have all of the information of Homeworld collected and sent up to the Diamond Spire.”

“A-All of it, My Diamond,” Rhodizite stammered. 

“Yes,” said Yellow, “as soon as possible. Pink Diamond and myself shall be waiting up there for the information to arrive.” 

“Of course, My Diamond,” said Rhodizite bowing low but was clearly was worried about gathering the information quickly for her diamond, “I shall gather the information for you right now.” She went back to her desk and very quickly started to type up information regarding Homeworld. 

“Come,” said Yellow to Pink, “the lift to the Diamond Spire is this way.” They made their way over towards the back of the library (Pink trying to be extra soft in her steps and extra careful where she stepped) to where a small lift was. The lift itself looked as if it hadn't been personally used in a very long time. Yellow's pearl activated the lift and the doors opened quickly but looking inside, it was clear to see that the lift was designed for one diamond at a time. 

“Should we just ride one at a time,” asked Pink.

“It will be fine,” said Yellow, who wasn't the most patient of gems, “I've ridden in this old thing with White and Blue respectfully before, it just takes twice as long. Step inside.” Pink did as she was told and then Yellow squeezed in next to her. Yellow's pearl stepped inside and closed the door and selected the floor and then promptly huddled herself to the closest corner, furthest away from Pink. The lift slowly and painfully climbed its' way up, making worrying groaning noises the entire way. Pink wondered if it really was worth the risk of having two really heavy giant gems shoved into a cramped old elevator that clearly hadn't been serviced in some time. Trying to take her mind off of a possible malfunction of the lift, and the fact that she was so uncomfortably close, she looked over at Yellow's...hair-helmet and she decided that she just had to know what it was. Instead of doing the sensible thing of just simply asking, she shifted her shoulders and reached over and took hold of the first spike and pulled up. It was indeed a helmet, and underneath it was golden hair that was in the same style of her helmet. Yellow closed her eyes then sighed very deeply and without turning her head, looked at Pink through the corner of her eye and asked sounding very tired:

“What are you doing?”

“Um...,” Pink then lowered the helmet back in it's place but it was slightly crooked so she straightened it as best as she could and then she huddled herself into her corner, “I couldn't tell if...” she mumbled and that was all that was said of the matter. Soon enough they finally made it to the Diamond Spire's room, it wasn't as as luxurious as the Diamond Throne Room but it was still very nicely decorated with several lounge chairs and a large window with a window bench. Pink sat down in one of the chairs and looked up at Yellow waiting for whatever lesson she was about to receive.  
  
“We should be getting the records soon,” said Yellow as she walked over to one of the desks and wiped her gloved hand over it and frowned at the dust that had collected on it, “I'll have the Yellow Rhodizite send up some pearls to clean this filth up. Once you get the records, read through them and watch any and all video recordings until I return and once I do I will test your knowledge. Pearl,” she said making her way to the lift, “stay with Pink Diamond and do as she commands. I am going to go gather other information and check on my latest colony's progress.”

“Yes, My Diamond,” said Pearl, who didn't sound nearly as excited as usual.

“Wait,” said Pink, “how do we know what I already do or don't know? Shouldn't I take a test first or something like that?”

“That'd take up valuable time,” said Yellow entering the lift, “and besides gems, especially diamonds can retain any information they receive so what you read will become permanent information. So all you have to do is read and the rest should follow,” said Yellow as the doors started to close.

“Wait,” called out Pink, “what if I can't...ugh...” she put her head on the arm of the chair and sighed in frustration. She sat there quietly for a few minutes not knowing what to really do when she heard another door open up and saw the Yellow Rhodizite enter the room pushing a library cart. On the cart was information disks, holographic projector rectangle bricks and everything else requested.

“Here is the requested information My Diamond,” said the Rhodizite saluting her, “is there anything else I can get you?”

“Thank you but no,” said Pink kindly, “what you have done is more than enough. I appreciate you gathering all this information for me.”

“If I may, My Diamond,” asked Yellow Rhodizite carefully, “why have you requested this information?

“Well,” said Pink finding nothing wrong with her question, “when I was forming, something went wrong with my knowledge embedment and I didn't get all of it so we're correcting it.” Rhodizite's eyes seemed to bulge out of her head and seemed extremely shocked.

“Wait,” she said sounding as if her world was suddenly was flipped upside down, “are you saying you're off color?”

“Off color,” asked Pink, “what do you mean by that?” The Rhodizite started to laugh as if she was trying to not to but couldn't keep it in.

“Y-You don't even know what _that_ means?! Are you..are you that _dense_?” Pink was taken back on how the Rhodizite's behavior suddenly changed, she seemed really upset, almost sounded betrayed.

“What,” said Pink, feeling the same embarrassment she would feel whenever she would walk around other gems, “no, no all I have to do is read the records that you brought and-”

“Are you sure you're not _illiterate_ ,” interrupted Rhodizite, clearly not caring that she did or didn't anymore, “do you even know what illiterate  _means_? No wonder you were stomping around like a great big idiot outside,” she mumbled mostly to herself. Pink was now at a loss of words. She actually didn't know if she could read or not, that was the very question she was going to ask Yellow before she left.

“Having fun Rhodizite,” came a very nasally voice from the corner of the room, causing both Pink and Rhodizite to jump and look over to the Yellow Pearl who was still standing in her corner, still in attention awaiting her orders but with the smuggest expression on her face, “because I sincerely hope it was worth it.” Yellow Rhodizite looked as if she had seen the most horrifying thing in the entire galaxy. She hadn't realized that there was a pearl in the room with them, with Pink Diamond being so new. She started to tremble and sweat, stammering 'I' over and over again as she tried in vain to somehow talk herself out of this.

“You're very lucky Pink Diamond is so merciful,” Yellow Pearl said as she walked over to Rhodizite and started circling her like a predator over wounded prey, “any other diamond would have shattered you on the spot by now. Then again, it's only a matter of time before they find out anyway. I mean, calling a diamond, let's see,” she counted off the list on her fingers, “Dense. Illiterate. 'Great big idiot', and worse of all,” she said with a pause and a sneer, “off color. Now that sounds like high treason to me, and I think the other diamonds would agree, don't you think so as well?”

“But,” said Yellow Rhodizite gaining some courage back, “but she...she _is_ off color, isn't she?” Yellow Pearl shrugged.

“The diamonds don't think so; so no, she is not off colored. What a terrible accusation towards a diamond of all gems,” Pearl tutted. Rhodizite felt like she would dissipate her form out of shock.

“Look,” said Pink quietly, having both smaller gems looking up at her, “let's just, forget the whole thing happened, okay? I don't want anyone getting shattered over something as stupid as this.”

“Merciful as ever Pink Diamond,” said Yellow Pearl, “however I'm afraid seeing that Rhodizite committed a treasonous crime and she is one of Yellow Diamonds' gems, it's simply out of our hands.” Pink thought about it for a moment and then lowered her hand, Yellow Pearl looked down at it and reluctantly stepped onto it and steadied herself with Pink's thumb. (she decided she definitely wasn't as graceful as Yellow)

“Please Pearl,” she asked gently, “it's not worth it. I don't like what she said but,” she looked down at Rhodizite, “some of what was said was true.” Pearl looked Pink in the face and then down at Rhodizite then back up at Pink; made a decision and gave a very small nod. Pink smiled at that. Pearl looked down at Rhodizite and said:

“Your service is no longer required, you may leave now.”  
  
“T-Thank you for your mercy,” Rhodizite said as she bowed low as she walked backwards towards the door, “I will never speak of what I learned of beyond this room, you have my word My Diamond.” After Rhodizite left the room, Pink lowered her hand back down to the floor.

“Thank you Pearl,” she said quietly, “I'm glad you were here to back me up, I wasn't sure what to say in that situation," Pink said, her voice was beginning to tremble, "Rhodizite is right, I'm not even sure I can read...some diamond I am.” Pink closed her eyes and cleared her throat trying to ward off the building tears. Thankfully she did and sitting back up she looked down at Pearl and asked:

“Could you put in the first chapter of the Homeworld files, I have a lot of reading to do and I'm already late starting them.”

“Of course, My Diamond,” Yellow Pearl said as she gathered the right info disk and placed it in the appropriate slot and a holographic screen popped up and she looked at the first page with some apprehension then sat back in her chair and sighed with relief.

Thank all the stars, she could read.

 

* * *

 

Pink sat there quietly reading Homeworld's early history for hours and it was just as Yellow had said, every line she read it was if she had known it her whole life...granted her whole life was less than three days but that was besides the point. To her great surprise she was actually a fast reader. Still this was going to be a long drag to read everything in the library but she only had to do it once, so it was well worth it. Soon she heard the lift being activated and she knew Yellow was on her way back up. When Yellow finally entered the room she looked up at her and smiled.

“How goes the reading,” asked Yellow.

“It's fascinating,” admitted Pink, “in a strange way I'm glad I get to learn it this way rather than just knowing about it. I've decided that I really like reading,” she said, “I wasn't even sure I could even read in the first place.”

“Oh,” asked Yellow, “you didn't know if you could or not?”

“No,” said Pink, “I didn't.”

“Well, I'm glad you do,” Yellow said, “It wouldn't have been too hard to teach you but it would have taken valuable time.”

“Yellow,” Pink asked, “what does 'off color' mean?” Yellow raised her eyebrow, if she had already read about it she would know the definition, so she deduced that she must have heard about it from another gem.

“Well Pink,” Yellow said walking up to her, “ 'off color' is a derogatory slang term used by common gems. Off color is used to describe a gem that came out of the ground with flaws, be it malformed physically, behavior or abilities.”  Pink looked down at her gem and covered it with her hand.

“You are not off colored, if that's what you're thinking,” Yellow said to her, “you simply didn't receive all of your information, that is easily corrected and fixed. Off colored gems cannot be corrected in their flaws and theirs are permanent.” Pink took in a deep breath and sighed it out, she felt Yellow's hand rest gently on her shoulder and give a gentle squeeze.

“Is there a reason why you would bring this up Pink?”

“No reason,” Pink lied, “just was wondering about what it meant, thank you Yellow,” she said looking up at her and smiling. She then turned back to her holograms and continued reading where she left off. Yellow Diamond turned away from her and looked down at her pearl, and she could see that the pearl knew something. She knew when her pearl knew something important, she would always get this smug little look on her face and she currently had a very smug one. Before Yellow could say something, her pearl made a shushing gesture and beckoned her closer. Normally a diamond wouldn't tolerate such behavior from their pearl but Yellow was curious and she lowered her hand and brought the pearl close to her face. Yellow Pearl then surprised her again and wanted to get even closer and whisper into her ear. So Yellow moved her helmet and let the pearl whisper in her ear. Yellow's face went from stoic, to shock, to rage then back to her normal stern expression. Yellow then moved the pearl away from her ear and gave her a nod of approval. Yellow Pearl beamed with pride from that and hopped onto Yellow Diamond's shoulder as she turned towards the lift.

“Pink,” said Yellow Diamond, "I know I just came back but I have to step out again. I have something very important to do that requires my pearl's assistance. Will you be alright by yourself while I'm gone?”

“Um,” said Pink as she looked down at the other disks in the cart, “unless I need to change out the disks later I should be okay on my own, I'm worried about breaking them and I don't know if these are the Library's only copies.”

“They're not,” Yellow said, “and just be very careful handling them if you need to. I should be back in a day or so. If you need anything, use the Diamond Line Communicator.” With that Yellow marched out of the room rather quickly. Pink didn't think much of it, Yellow seemed like she was always busy with one thing or another. Pink flipped the screen and came to a chapter title that interested her greatly: Homeworlds' Original Organic Life.

 

* * *

 

  
Yellow Rhodizite kept her nose down into her work; she was sure that the off color diamond would keep her word, but the pearl was another story. She was determined to keep her end of the bargain though, she would keep silent about the defective diamond. It wasn't the knowledge thing that told her that Pink was defective, it was how she walked and acted from the pickup ship; heard the rumors from other gems who had seen the new diamond making cracks in the walkways. What kind of diamond was a cumbersome clod? She heard something and looked up and could see Yellow Diamond standing over her glaring down at her with Yellow Pearl sitting on her shoulder.

“My Diamond,” she said sanding up and saluting, “what can I-"  
  
“What is your Facet and Cut,” calmly demanded Yellow Diamond.

“Wha..Um, Yellow Rhodizite Facet-769E Cut-5DF, My Diamond.” Yellow Diamond nodded and continued to glare down at Rhodizite. It seemed to slowly dawn on her what was actually happening.

“M-My Diamond,” she started to beg, “what happened was-” but before she could say anything further Yellow simply pushed down hard on the Rhodizite's head with her finger and poofed her instantly. The Yellow Rhodizite's gem dropped down and clinked onto the desk.

“Pearl,” said Yellow Diamond, “pick up the Rhodizite and when the guards arrive, hand her gem over to them so they can escort her gem to the court house. I have to go tell Blue and White of what this traitor has done to the Diamond Authority. Meet me at the court house when you can.”

“Yes, My Diamond,” said Pearl jumping down from her shoulder and bubbled the Yellow Rhodizite's gem. Yellow then left the Library to leave for the Temple. She was absolutely furious from this whole affair, not because it was such a waste of her valuable time and a direct attack of their authority but...for some reason the thought of some other gem making Pink upset, upset her as well. Why that was she didn't know, but it bothered her enough that she was willing to replace one of her own gems without second guessing it. Now the hardest decision she had to make was what would be the most appropriate punishment for the Rhodizite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if ya liked it please. <3


	3. Chapter 3

The next month of reading for Pink was interesting and yet boring at the same time, if that could somehow make any sense. Interesting because she would 'change it up' by switching what colony she would read about. One day she would read about Homeworld, the next perhaps she would read about the first colony Blue Diamond started, anything to keep it interesting. Not that the reading wasn't interesting, but having to read literally non stop with no breaks was very taxing for Pink. She wasn't the kind of gem who could focus on such a activity like that for so long, and it didn't help that soon enough Yellow's trips out were less frequent so slacking off was out of the question. Yellow was a very strict gem who kept her on a tight schedule, expected so much to be read within a day and a test was given after every completed information disk. Even when she did get the occasional break of reading and had the treat of watching a video projection, she would be expected to "sit up strait and watch quietly".

Perhaps the hardest part of the entire thing was she had been inside the Diamond Spire room the entire time, not once had she left it. She would sometimes sit at the window seat, having to beg Yellow to do so just to get a glimps of Homeworld, the very reason why Yellow wouldn't like her sitting there in the first place. Pink was quietly reading an unfortunately boring section on engineering while sitting on the window seat when she looked over at Yellow, who was busy typing something on her own holographic projection screens.

"Yellow," asked Pink who lowered her own screen, "can we take a break? It feels like I've been in here forever and-"

"It's only been 29 days," said Yellow who hadn't looked over at her, "and if you take a break now it will throw you off your course in completing your education."

"How," asked Pink.

"I've taken the liberty of calculating your current rate of speed of reading and how much information we currently have," said Yellow, "and given the factor of any probable new colonies that could come into play; I've determined that if we keep up on our current speed," which she turned and smiled at Pink, "which is very adequate, it will take approximately one hundred-"

"Days," Pink interrupted with hope in her voice.

"...Years." Yellow said flatly. Pink groaned, put both hands over her face and sat back into the cushions of the bench.

"I can't do this anymore," she said with her hands covering her face, "I need a break, Yellow! I'm tired of reading! I want to go outside and do something different, I'm tired of being inside in this room all the time. I just need to take a small break," she said sitting back up and giving her a pleading look, "just a small one, then I'll get right back into it." Yellow looked over at her and then looked at her screens. Then turned them off and stood back up.

"Very well, it is a bit early but I suppose we could start towards the Temple," she said turning towards her, "it is the thirty day mark to meet up with the others." Pink gave out a cry of excitement and jump of joy, completely forgetting Yellow's rule of jumping while in the Diamond Spire: to not do it. Pinks' landing came down with a boom and with Pink's bare feet sinking in a good foot down into the floor, cracking the rest of the tile and leaving a small shallow crater around her. Pink stood there in shock and looked down, then looked up at Yellow who seemed well aware of her mannerisms by now.

"It seems," said Yellow slowly, "that our time has been...extended, now that the floor needs extensive repair work."

 

* * *

 

**'What is...this...'**

_'There it is!'_

**'What was that?'**

_'It's massive!'_

"..mond?"

**'What are these things?'**

_'What are we going to do General?'_

**'They seem frightened of something'**

"..y Diamo..."

_'Open fire!'_

"My Diamond?"

White took in a sharp breath not realizing she did, her eyes suddenly opening after hearing her name. She had her chair turned away from her door, as she always did, the lights turned off. She preferred the dark, it was quiet and low and hidden. She put her long fingers up to her temple and tried to rub the pain from her head away, closing her eyes again.

"My Diamond," said her pearl slowly from behind, "did I disturb you?"

"No Pearl," sighed White, "just dreaming...old dreams," she turned the chair around and looked down at her pearl, "what is it?"

"Yellow and Pink Diamond have arrived, My Diamond," she said bowing low, "they are awaiting you inside the Diamond Throne Room." White nodded and gave a wave of her hand, her indication for her pearl to leave. Pearl bowed low and left the room accordingly. White sat there a moment longer, closing her eyes once again. She finally stood up and made her way to the throne room and entered it, seeing that she was the final Diamond to arrive. The new look of the room was actually quite pleasing to look at. It really did impress her how quickly Blue was able to get her court to gather the required materials for it and have it so expertly crafted. Newly added pink marble tiles, pillars and decorations now adorned the room, along with a new pink throne with the others. It was strange but now it was hard to imagine the room without the new color.

"I am impressed Blue," said Yellow who was sitting on her throne, "I wasn't sure if your court could pull it off within a month's time."

"I suppose it will do," said Blue looking around at the room but it was obvious she was loving the praise, "however we are still working on her vehicles and chamber, for that I am displeased."

"You have always been a bit harsh on your subjects," said White coming closer to the group, "they work hard for you Blue."

"I expect nothing less," she said with her flowing voice, "I am only as strong as my subjects, and they I. Isn't that what you taught us all those millenniums ago?"

"Strength comes in many forms," said White, "and with that comes different weaknesses. It's up to us to decide which ones we want, Blue." Blue said nothing.

"Oh Blue," said Yellow, "Could I happen to borrow some of your Bismuths who worked on this project? It seems right before we left the Diamond Spire we had," she glanced over at Pink who was looking over at some of the decorations, "an accident with the floor."

"Another one," asked Blue.

"The worst one yet," said Yellow," she got excited and jumped inside the spire," she placed her hand to her chin, "I don't quite understand it. She's always so careful but she's always breaking something, stepping on it, or bumping into something. While we were walking to my ship she was absolutely careful where she walked and even still she somehow managed to cracked the ground." White simply listened to what was said and rubbed her chin.

"What could it possibly mean," asked Blue.

"I am not sure," said White "but I do have someone we could consult. Pearl," White's pearl came up and bowed low, "summon my best peridot; have her brought here immediately with any of her gem examining equipment she may require." The pearl bowed low again and ran out of the room.

"Isn't that the same peridot who miscalculated Pink's emergence," asked Yellow not covering up her annoyance, "honestly White, that peridot would have been downgraded to the bottom position at the worst pearl farm I could find, if not outright shattered for her incompetence if she'd been in my court."

"One miscalculation out of an entire five thousand year record isn't a good justification to completely toss aside a perfectly good gem," said White, "give your subjects a chance to redeem themselves." Suddenly there was a loud crash and the three looked up and could see that Pink had been holding one of the decorations but had obviously held it too tightly and crushed it in her hands.

"Um...sorry," she meekly called out.

 

* * *

 

Later that day, White Pearl escorted the peridot in question who was carrying the requested equipment with her. The peridot was tall and slender like all of her kind was, so it was quite the sight to see this peridot tugging along a large bundle of equipment. Peridot hadn't wanted to disappoint her diamond again so she brought everything she could possibly think of that she may or mayn't need for this...whatever she was summoned for. White Pearl walked up to the four sitting diamonds and bowed low and said:

"My Diamonds, the peridot as requested," then she took her place with the other pearls in the far side of the room.

"Kneel, Peridot Facet-184T Cut-3C9," said White in such a loud commanding tone that made Pink straiten up, she didn't think that White could speak like that. Peridot did immediately as commanded and went on bended knee, giving the diamond salute, trying her best not to shiver.

"You have been given this one chance to make up for your incorrect miscalculations of Pink Diamonds' emergence," said White in a stern voice, "and what you do, say and hear in this room must NEVER leave this room, do you understand how important that is?"

"With every atom of my gem, your mercifulness," squeaked the clearly frightened peridot.

"Good," said White who's voice stayed in her commanding tone, "I want you to examine Pink Diamond's gem," she said gesturing towards her with her long hand, "use your equipment, see if there is any possible flaws within her gem." She had said the last few words as if they had left a bad taste in her mouth. Pink had her hands resting on her lap but her hands subconsciously went to her stomach at the mention of any possible flaws in her gem. Peridot looked up at Pink then up at the other diamonds and then back down at her bundle of equipment.

"I-er-well-I-um," sputtered Peridot before she finally cleared her throat and took in a deep breath to clear her mind (which had been internally screaming the entire time) and she finally said, "of course, My Diamond. This is a standard procedure done in all Kindergartens. We'll cover all the basics and even the more advance procedures just to be safe." She picked up her bundle and walked over to where Pink was sitting and walked onto Pink's awaiting hand. After being placed into Pink's right throne armrest, she put her bundle down and opened it up and started to arrange her equipment out so she could access it easily. Soon she had everything in place. Peridot then turned towards Pink's gem and looked at it and rubbed her chin.

"Perhaps we should try the Internal Ray Examiner first," she muttered to herself. She grabbed a gun-like device and pointed it at her gem and activated it. It sent out a green ray of light that scanned her gem vertically, then horizontally. Peridot read the information that was fead back to it and looked at it carefully.

"Clarity of her gem is flawless," she said, "no blemishes, cracks or internal flaws to be found."

"Naturally," said Blue Diamond annoyed as if Peridot was stating something very obvious, "what else can you tell us?" Peridot gulped and put down the ray gun and grabbed two more of her devices. This time she hopped down onto Pink's lap and went up to her gem and hooked something onto the sides and the front of the gem itself.

"This may feel a bit strange, My Diamond," said Peridot as she turned on the device. As the device turned on, Pink felt a strange tingly sensation in her gem and throughout her form. Peridot looked at the energy readings from the output given from the connection and tilted her head.

"That's weird," she mumbled.

"What," asked Yellow who leaned forward in her throne.

"The energy levels are unusually high," she said as she disconnected the device from her gem. Then with the last device in hand she went up to the closest part of Pink's exposed form, which was on her stomach near her gem, and started to feel it with her hands as she began to press the device into her form.

"How unusual," Peridot mumbled to herself as she continued to press it into her. Of course, being ticklish there, Pink tried not to laugh and jump about but it was hard not too as Peridot was trying to work.

"Please hold still, My Diamond," Peridot pleaded as she tried pressing her body into Pink's belly as if it would somehow stop it from moving, "I'm trying to measure your form density and it's very hard to do so while you're..um..moving around like that."

"Sorry," Pink said as she tried to hold still, "you're doing a very important job and I really appreciate it," she said and she held her breath as she felt Peridot feel around again. It took all she had not to squirm as Peridot kept prodding with the strange device. Finally Peridot finished and got what she needed from the prod and looked at the information it gathered. She looked over the results and squinted at it. She then hopped back up to the armrest where her personal computer was and started to type up something.

"What are you doing," asked Yellow who was losing her patients.

"Looking up the before and after images and information of the moon that was used for her conception," said Peridot who then brought up the images so all the diamonds could look up at them too.

"As we can see here," said Peridot, this was the moon picked to host the creation of Pink Diamond," she said as she brought up the picture for all of them to look at. Pink looked up at it and tilted her head, it didn't look like a moon at all, it looked more like a organic life filled planet.

"It was chosen because it was full of rich minerals and would have been a great site for a number of other Kindergartens as planned, but as time went on," she said as she flipped the pictures showing the slow degradation of the moon, "It was obvious that the entire moon was being used for Pink's gestation. At first we thought we miscalculated the mineral count, but according to new data, it seems that the original calculations were correct after all."

"What do you mean," asked White turning to Peridot, "I saw the original calculations myself,  _you_ figured that not only could that the moon support a diamond, but three other kindergartens."

"Correct," said Peridot who surprisingly didn't waver in voice, "and I was indeed shocked when the entire moon was used up, but now I can see as to why," she then went back down towards Pink's gem and then pressed her hand back into her form, causing Pink to squirm a little.

"When she was forming, she took up  _all_ of the surrounding minerals, leaving none behind for the remaining kindergartens," Peridot then pushed further into her form, "now as you can see with this demonstration-"

"Not really," said Yellow who was really getting annoyed.

"Um," said Pink who really couldn't take much more from Peridot pushing into her, "perhaps another way of demonstrating could be used?"

"Of course," said Peridot thinking, "not to be impertinent, but have you broken anything just by stepping on something or by grabbing it?

"Many times," Pink said, "today alone I-"

"Enough," said White cutting her off, "what has that anything to do with this?"

"It has to do with everything," said Peridot with a smile as she jumped down and back over to where she could be seen by all four diamonds, "while forming within the moon, her gem over-consumed the normal mineral amount required to form a diamond, let alone a gem to make. It simply took far too much and so in compensation of this extra energy within her gem, her form is almost nearly triple as dense as it should be. This of course makes her form far more heavier and perhaps stronger than normal, but at the cost of-" she looked up at the other diamonds in worry at what she was about to say, "finesse?"

"What are you saying," asked Blue, her voice low and dangerous.

"W-What I'm saying is that d-due to her form being so um, unusually thick it's just that," she said glancing around at the other diamonds who were glaring down at her, all except Pink who was simply looking down at her with curiosity; Peridot then took in a deep breath to calm herself down and decided to outright say it:

"It is rare to see a denser form in other gems, especially this dense, but in a diamond it is extremely noticeable because it makes gems less agile...and she's just so big and naturally heavy it's almost impossible to miss. The short answer is...it's a defect, My Diamonds," she said saluting as quickly as she could, hoping she wouldn't be dashed across the room. There was a horrible scraping noise in the room as White Diamonds nails dug deeply into her armrest as she curled them back as she clenched her fists. Peridot stood there trying her best not to shiver under the gaze of White Diamond, the other two Diamonds also giving her death glares but nothing was nearly as terrifying as Whites'. Pink simply sat there staring down at her form solemnly, then wrapped her arms around herself.

"So," White finally said very slowly after what felt like an eternity as she lifted her hands and casually started picking the debris from her fingernails, "what can be done to correct this?"

"Um," Peridot mumbled, still standing in salute, "I-I'm afraid there's nothing w-we c-can do My D-Diamond," she stammered out, "it's a f-form flaw. Even if Pink Diamond were to somehow r-re-form she would still be the same weight and-"

"You said," said White as smooth as silk," that her form was this way due to the excess energy of her gem, correct?"

"Um...it, it is a possibility, yes. I have seen this before with Amethysts and Topazes in the past and that was usually the case: over-consumption of surrounding minerals, resulting in heavier forms and loss of dexterity and speed but gaining physical power and strength." Yellow leaned back in her throne and rubbed her chin.

"Why haven't we ever heard of such a thing like this," Yellow asked Peridot.

"It's such a minor and rare off color trait that it is considered passable in inspections," Peridot said, then nearly bit her tongue in half for using the slang term in front of the diamonds. Her fear was correct when Blue Diamond stood up and pointed her finger at her in anger.

"How DARE you use such derogatory language in front of us," she barked out, "and especially to describe one of us! If you were in my court you'd be-"

"But that's what it is," interrupted Pink quietly, the four gems turning towards her, "it's fine," she shrugged with a small smile, "I kinda been thinking about it a lot lately and I'm sure you three have as well. That's why we're here, isn't it? Please Blue," she said turning to her, "don't yell at Peridot, she didn't mean any offense." Blue stood there in silence, then grabbed her cloak and pulled it close and sat down in a huff and said nothing more but continued to glare down at Peridot.

"Peridot," said White very slowly, "who was the one who deemed this...passable trait...passable?" Peridot looked up at her diamond and shivered.

"I...I'm not sure, My Diamond," she said, "It's only been showing up in the last few thousand years or so and-"

"I would like you to gather me a list of all existing kindergarten managers, the inspectors, and the list of these...passable gems who were allowed to continue to exist; have it brought to me as soon as you can Peridot. As of now you are no longer my Head Kindergarten Expert, today your new task is this: You are now the Head Researcher on Project F.

"Project F," repeated Peridot in a hushed voice.

"Yes," said White, "You will be given a select team of workers and guards and other top scientists to aid you in your work."

"And...what is exactly my work," asked Peridot.

"You are to experiment on these gems who were given a free pass without our knowledge or consent. You are to figure out how to safely correct their denser form and when you do, you shall perform the same on Pink Diamond. If any new flawed gems are created, then they will be sent to you, if not then some will be artificially created for you.

"B-But," Peridot sputtered.

"As for the managers and inspectors who let their work ethic slip," said White, "they will be brought to me and after they explain themselves, they will be shattered for their transgressions against the authority," Pink looked over at White, who was looking down at Peridot with cold, dead eyes, "such is the fate of all who go against the authority."

"I-I" sputtered Peridot, but then came to her senses and realized that this was her last chance at staying alive at this point, White's thinly veiled threat was very evident in her last statement, "I am humbled at my new position. It is such an honor, My Diamond. I am truly unworthy."

"Indeed," said White, "I am pleased you are so eager to serve your diamonds with such vigor," she raised up her long hands and clapped loudly. Two jasper guards entered the room and approached the thrones and saluted.

"Escort Peridot as she gathers important information for me," she said, "guard her with your life and don't let her out of your sights. Pearl," she called out, "go along with them to make sure that the requested information is efficiently and completely gathered, I expect no delays."

"As you wish, My Diamond," Pearl bowed low.

"Thank you for coming Peridot, your consultation has been greatly appreciated. That will be all." White said as she loudly clapped her hands again, indicating that the meeting was at an end. One of the jasper guards grabbed Peridot by the arm and started to drag her out of the room.

"But my equipment," she started to quietly protest.

"Quiet," barked one of the jaspers, "you're still in the presence of our glorious diamonds!" Peridot looked over her shoulder one last time to see cold indifference gazes in three of the diamonds but in the forth it looked to be regret as the doors of the throne room closed behind her.

"Well," sighed White putting a hand to her head, "that's that then."

"Can't believe the nerve of those managers," said Blue, "thinking they could sneak defective gems right under our noses without us finding out about it. If any of them are from my court, please do let me know about it White, I want to personally take care of my courts own affairs."

"How so," asked White turning towards her.

"Public executions," Blue said turning to her, "I find them very effective, and this transgression will not go unpunished." White's eyes narrowed a bit at her.

"Oh really Blue," she said sighing, "you've always been so over dramatic. Do you think that this truly warrants public executions?"

"Not particularly," she said twirling some of her hair with her fingers, "but I will not have something like this go behind my back and-" she stopped in mid-sentence when she looked over and saw that Pink was slightly bent over with her arms still wrapped around herself. She seemed deeply conflicted as she looked over at the other diamonds.

"Are you alright," asked Blue who was genuinely concerned, "if you're upset over what that peridot said then-"

"It's not that," Pink said quietly turning her gaze away from them to look at nothing in particular, "how can you.." she slowly trailed off and turned her face away from them.

"Please," said Blue, "tell us what's bothering you."

"How can you be so cold and cruel against gems that simply took pity on other gems who came out different," she said sitting up and looking hard at the others, "who couldn't even control how they were even made. It's not their fault that they came out wrong!" Blue looked at her as if she was shocked at her sudden outburst, to which Pink waved her arms and continued:

"And look, you think I'm strange for even thinking that, don't you? You talk of shatterings and-and public executions as if you're planing a-a casual gathering or something!"

"I know," said Yellow who kept her voice steady and firm, "that it seems cruel and ruthless, but in time you will learn that it is necessary. You can't let your subjects get away with such things like-"

"I can't do this right now," said Pink standing up and angrily walking towards the door of the room, aware that her stomping away was most likely cracking the floor but she couldn't bring herself to care at all. She even had to pry open the door because the door's touch screen was meant for smaller gems to activate so she just skipped that hassle; she'd just break the screen anyway. Blue and Yellow looked at each other in disbelief as Pink marched out of the room.

"I'll go talk with her," said White standing up, "I'll calm her down and bring her back." After White left the room, Blue took her hood of her cloak off and turned to Yellow.

"I can't believe her behavior," said Yellow, "behaving like she knows better than we do."

"Be more understanding Yellow," said Blue, "she's young and truly doesn't know any better yet, and today's been very upsetting for her."

"It's been upsetting for us all," said Yellow crossing her arms, "to think Blue...a flaw in a diamond."

"It's best to wait out for the solution that the peridot will find," said Blue, "and like she said, it is a very minor...flaw." Yellow wanted to counter point of the possibility of never finding a solution, but she could see that Blue was already thinking of that so she left it alone.

"What are we to do next," asked Blue.

"We should wait till they return," said Yellow, "it's best we all discuss this together, not behind each others backs." Blue frowned and nodded in agreement.

 

 

* * *

 

White followed the trail Pink left behind, it was fairly easy to do so seeing her foot impressions in the floor of the temple. She soon turned a corner and saw than Pink had run into a dead end where the common gem's door was located but no diamond door was. She had sunk down to the floor and seemed to just be sitting there. White walked over to her and placed her hands on her hips.

"Stand up," she told her, "you are a diamond, not a child."

"What's a child," asked Pink, her voice thick with sarcasm.

"I'm sure you know what one is," she said poking Pink with the tip of her shoe, "but I'll humor you; a child is what a small young organic is, it's incredibly immature. You are acting like one."

"Maybe it's just another flaw of mine," said Pink with more sarcasm. This caused White to start to lose her temper with her. She reached down and grabbed Pink's arm and pulled her up.

"I said 'stand up' and I meant it," she said very sternly, "this behavior won't be tolerated anymore from you." Pink wanted to make another snarky comment but she looked up at White and she could tell that White truly meant it so she wisely kept it to her self. Instead she started to rub the spot where White had grabbed her tenderly.

"I know you're upset," White said, "but that's no reason to storm off like that. You are a diamond; a leader. You have to make the example for your gems and storming off like that isn't what a good leader does."

"You speak of being a good leader," said Pink turning to her, "and yet you three speak of shattering gems for simply having mercy for their common gem or simply having a flaw! I just..." she turned away from her and walked away and then stopped and said quietly, "I just never thought you three could do such things. You three have all been so kind to me, and I never imagined..." She felt long fingers rest on her shoulders then give them a gentle squeeze.

"There is much of the universe you haven't learned about," she said, "it isn't as kind, or as loving as we wish it were. I know what was said back there seemed very cruel to you but it must be done," she said turning Pink around and putting a finger under her chin to have her look up at her, "we can't allow such transgressions go unpunished."

"But do the punishments have to be so extreme," asked Pink, "can't you do something else? I don't want anyone shattered, I already feel bad enough that those other gems that have the same flaw are going to be experimented on. What if they get hurt or shattered during the process?" White looked at Pink and sighed.

"That's the risk we take with science Pink," she said, "we can't learn until we try and unfortunately to learn means to also fail until we succeed. I won't lie, I'm sure some if not most of those flawed gems will be damaged or shattered during the research, but that's why we're using them and not you. You're too important and valuable because-"

"Because I'm a diamond," Pink finished.

"Because you're a diamond, yes," White said, "haven't you noticed by now how many of us there are?" Pink blinked several times, she hadn't actually thought about it. She looked up at White and White nodded.

"There are many other gems, but there are only four of us diamonds in all of gem kind," White said letting Pink go and walking away from her, "so you can see how rare and valuable we are."

"Why are there only four of us," Pink asked. White seemed to stiffen up at the question but without turning said:

"Diamonds are...very...very difficult to make. Most of the time, it ends in...failure. It takes so much time and energy to make a diamond and if it fails..." she trailed off and never finished her explanation. Pink looked down at her hands and then wrung them together, perhaps she had been acting, what was it, 'like a child', but part of her knew she was right and that the other gems didn't deserve to die simply for showing compassion.

"Please White," she said to her, "could you change your decree of the managers and inspectors? They don't deserve death, not for simply showing mercy." White looked down at Pink and wanted so much to shake her head in disapproval. Pink simply didn't know or understand how things worked yet, she wasn't even a year old. However, she would humor her, just something in her pleading gaze with the glint in her eyes seemed to touch her in a way she hadn't felt in oh, so long.

"Very well," White said, "instead of shattering we will hold trials to determine the gem's fates." Pink's face brightened up at that and a small smile returned. It was surprising what small gesture would make her happy.

"Thank you White," she said reaching around White's middle and giving her a hug, "I don't feel so bad about the whole thing now." White hummed in agreement as she hugged Pink back.

"I guess," Pink said after letting her go, "we should head back to the Throne Room, but I don't really know how to get back. I just kinda ran off in whatever direction." White pointed to the ground.

"We can just follow the trail you left, if you would like." Pink looked at the damage and groaned in embarrassment.

 

* * *

 

 

When they made their way back, they could see that Blue and Yellow were standing in the center of the room talking to each other, but as soon as they saw them they approached the two.

"Are you feeling better dear," asked Blue to Pink as she put a hand to Pink's back.

"A little," she admitted, "White and I talked and she said she was going to put the gems on trial instead of just executing them. It just made me feel so," she gestured to her middle and made stirring motion, "mixed up when you three were so kind to me and then so suddenly ruthless. I just didn't-"

"Think nothing of it," said Blue, "that's in the past. I'm sorry that it upset you, if it would make you feel better, I'll go by trial too. It's less efficient but-" she stopped when she saw a look that White was giving her.

"Thank you Blue," she said as she gave her a small hug, "and I want to...apologize for my behavior. I've ruined the floor and the door," she said gesturing to both respectfully, "and that was unnecessary."

"Yes about that," said Yellow placing her arms behind her back, "Blue and I were discussing this while you and White were away. You wouldn't have had to force the door open if you had your own pearl," she said looking over at White. White raised her eyebrow at the other two.

"Do you think she's ready for her own pearl," asked White.

"Not now," said Yellow honestly, "she's still young but you know it takes time to make a decent pearl."

"I've already sent my pearl out to summon Larimar," said Blue with a smile, "she is the gem in charge of my finest Pearl Farm on my finest colony."

"Ah yes," said White, "isn't that the same one where all of our pearls came from?"

"Of course," said Blue, "I wouldn't trust our pearls to come from anywhere less, and you know only the best kind of pearls take the longest to make."

"Could you...elaborate for me," asked Pink," I haven't read about pearls yet and this is fascinating me." Blue smiled, she could tell that Pink was clearly excited to receive a pearl, as was their plan to take her mind off of her unfortunate form flaw and to make her feel better.

"Well Pink," said Blue, "pearls aren't created in the ground like other gems are, they are made in living organics."

"Truly," gasped Pink as her eyes widened at the thought, "that is simply-"

"abhorrent," said Yellow wrinkling her nose at the thought of it. Pink glanced over at Yellow and was about to ask as to why that was but Blue continued:

"Yes they are made in these aquatic organic shelled creatures called oysters, the farmers place the same materials used to create gems into the shell of these creatures and over time, these creatures mold the materials into a pearl. However this process takes time, not as much time as it does a normal gem of course. There are two types of pearls, freshwater and saltwater pearls. Freshwater pearls are common, quick made-to-order gems that are rapidly produced. Saltwater pearls now, that is the one we want. They are the more hardy, more perfectly formed variety. Of course they take more time to form."

"How long does it take to make a pearl?"

"Freshwater pearls take 30 years to make," said Blue, "however a saltwater pearl takes about one hundred years to form."

"I'm still not so sure," said White doubtfully, "I only worry about," she took in a deep breath and sighed it out, "her form flaw."

"Don't worry," said Yellow, "one hundred years is enough time for her to learn how to control her form more. Besides who's to say if that peridot knew what she was talking about."

"That peridot is my best peridot," said White, "besides, we've seen the evidence for ourselves." There was a moment of silence but was broken when Pink cleared her throat and asked:

"So," she said rubbing the back of her head, "what do I do when Larimar comes?"

"That's simple," said Yellow, "you simply tell her what kind of pearl you want and what color."

"Um...alright," Pink said, "I hope I don't sound too greedy when I order. I have an idea what I want to order," she said with a smile.

"What is it that you want to order you think is being greedy," asked Blue. Pink started to blush a bit.

"No, I probably shouldn't," she said rethinking her idea.

"Come on," said Blue grabbing her by the arm, "tell us." Pink could feel her face become more flush with embarrassment.

"Well...I was wondering...if I could order her with...four colors."

"Why four," asked Yellow.

"I wanted," Pink said feeling very embarrassed now, "to use our colors. So when I eventually go on my own and look at my pearl, I'll have a reminder of us. It'd be like if we were together in a way." White chuckled at her, Pink wasn't sure if it was at her absurd idea or her embarrassment or both.

"Whatever you order will be fine," said White, "as long as you feel ready for one."

* * *

A while later Blue Pearl was escorting Larimar into the Diamond Throne Room, Larimar was trying her best not to look up at the door as it was clearly broken and had been pried open with bare hands.

"My Diamonds, may I present Larimar of Colony 15."

"Welcome Larimar," said Blue Diamond, "it is good to see you again."

"It is always a pleasure to see you, My Diamond," said Larimar as she bowed low, "how may I serve you?"

"We are placing an order for a pearl for Pink Diamond," said Blue.

"Of course, My Diamonds," said Larimar as she approached Pink and saluted, "what is your desired pearl?"

"I have been told," said Pink, "that the saltwater pearls are of better quality, is this true?"

"Ours are the finest, My Diamond," said Larimar with pride.

"Then that is what I would like," said Pink.

"Very wise choice My Diamond," said Larimar, "I will make sure that our prize oyster will be used for you. What color would you like to have," she smiled, "although I may already have an idea as to what."

"In reguards to that," said Pink putting a finger to her lips, "I was wondering if you could do a special order?"

"In what way, My Diamond," asked Larimar who was curious as to what.

"I was wondering if you could do multiple colors," asked Pink, "if it is impossible or too difficult then please disregard my request."

"Oh of course, My Diamond," said Larimar, "it's more common in freshwater pearls for multiple colors but it is technically possible in saltwater pearls. How many colors would you like on your pearl?"

"I was wondering if I could have four?" Larimar nodded in agreement.

"What colors would you like, My Diamond?"

"White, Yellow, Blue and Pink respectfully," she said with a small smile.

"Very well, My Diamond," said Larimar, "I shall begin your order as soon as I return to Colony 15. I will personally see to your pearl's development myself."

"Thank you Larimar," said Pink as she gave a small courteous nod, filling Larimar with ample amounts of pride, "I appreciate you and your hard work."

"That will be all," said Blue as she clapped her hands loudly. Larimar bowed low once again and was escorted out of the room by Blue Pearl.

"There we have it," said Yellow.

"It has been quite the ordeal," said White as she had her hand to her head, "I would very much like to retire to my private chambers."

"As would I," said Blue, "these last two days have been long indeed."

"Has it really been two days," asked Pink, "it's so hard to tell in this room. There's no indication of time or anyway to tell time at all. How do you do it?"

"Experience," said White, "and eventually you just get an 'internal clock' of sorts."

"What's a clock," asked Pink.

"Oh, not now Pink," said White as she walked away, "I will tell you later," and with that White left the Throne Room.

"I think I too will follow White's example and go to my chamber as well," said Blue, "I still have much to do but I would like to rest before I return to work."

"Have a good rest Blue," said Pink as she watched Blue walk out of the room.

"My Diamond," said Yellow Pearl to Yellow Diamond, "I just received word that The Diamond Spire at The Library has been repaired."

"Wonderful timing," said Yellow, "come Pink, it is time we continue your reading. Now that we have an end goal and a little motivational reward waiting for you at the end," she said with a sly smile. Pink couldn't help but smile at that as well. Yellow was right, if she worked hard she could have her education finished before her pearl was finished. It was going to be a very...very long hard century.


	4. Chapter 4

As she read the last few paragraphs of the final chapter of Colony 5's history, Pink had to pause and rub her eyes which had grown tired from staring at the screen for nearly two years straight. It had been nearly ninety eight years since the last time she had stepped out of The Library, Yellow insisted that if she had moved to her newly built chambers it would only distract her, so she had insisted they stay put within the Diamond Spire. That had been fine with Pink at first, she had been determined to finish her education as fast as she could. However after fifteen years it seemed that she quickly realized how...monotonous this was truly going to be. Not that the reading itself was boring, it was fascinating to learn of all of what gem kind had learned over the millenniums and all the different life that they had encountered. Soon she finished the page and finished the history of Colony 5. She turned off the screen and turned to Yellow.

"I've finished Colony 5's history," she said as she stretched her back and arms, "what's next to read about." Yellow turned off her own screens and stood up and went over to the door of the lift.

"Nothing," said Yellow.

"What do you mean," asked Pink.

"There's nothing more to read about," said Yellow turning to her, "you've completed the entire Library under schedule. I am rather proud," said Yellow with her chest puffing out, "to say that I'm sure you wouldn't have come this far this soon if I hadn't pushed you so hard. Believe me, that wasn't an easy task." Pink just shook her head at it, she had learned decades ago that Yellow, if anything, prided herself in a job well done. She really had learned a lot about Yellow in the last century and this was as close to a 'good job Pink' as she would probably ever get from her.

"I'm just so glad to be done," said Pink standing up, "and I'll finally be able to leave this room! I can't tell you how happy that makes me," she said taking one final look around the room, "to finally put this behind me."

"Indeed," said Yellow giving Pink a hearty slap on her shoulder as the door of the lift opened up, "no longer will you ever have to worry about that anomaly, like it never even happened." Pink simply nodded in silent agreement but smiled at her accomplishment.

"I think," said Pink, "I would like to take some time to relax after all this."

"I suppose you've earned it," said Yellow stepping into the elevator, "I have to check on my latest colony anyway. We're having some difficulty with some of the organic life forms and I need to see to it personally."

"How so," asked Pink as she looked over at Yellow as they descended down.

"They're proving to be more bothersome than originally thought," said Yellow with a sigh, "I've decided to go there myself to see why that is and what can be done about it."

"If you need any help with it," offered Pink.

"It is very generous to offer your assistance," said Yellow without turning towards her, "but no, I believe that this should be handled shortly. I shouldn't even have to go there," she said finally pinching the bridge of her nose, "but my incompetent managers I've sent there seem to forgotten how to do their jobs."

"I'm sure they're doing the best they can," said Pink, "given the circumstances of the situation." Yellow only hummed in mild annoyance at her comment but said nothing further. After the lift had struggled to bring them down, it opened its' doors and the two walked into the open area of the library. As Yellow started toward the exit, Pink paused and looked around. This didn't go unnoticed by Yellow who paused and turned to look back.

"What are you doing," she asked.

"I'm looking for that Yellow Rhodizite that first helped us," Pink said scanning the ground, "I just wanted to thank her and to say goodbye, but I haven't really seen her since the first day we've been here."

"Don't trouble yourself over that Rhodizite," said Yellow, "she no longer works here."

"You mean she was transferred?"

"Yes," Yellow lied, "she was transferred to another colony."

"What a shame," sighed Pink and with that, the subject and consequently memory of that particular Yellow Rhodizite was forever forgotten. After exiting the library and stepping outside for the first time in nearly a century, Pink took in a deep breath and stretched in what little warmth the sun offered.

"It is really a nice day outside today, isn't it Yellow," said Pink as she finished stretching.

"It is like this every day on Homeworld," stated Yellow.

"True, but it's especially nice because I get to be out in it," said Pink as she tried her best to be patient for Yellow's ship to arrive, "It really has been too long."

"It really hasn't been that long," said Yellow, "and you should stop pacing like that, you're more likely to-"

"Right-right," mumbled Pink who usually had to be reminded of her 'unspoken condition' that was to remain a secret to every gem outside the Diamond Authority and Project F. In fact, Project F was so secretive that only White and Yellow were privy to the full details of it, seeing that Yellow was head of Homeworld technology. Soon the ship arrived and the two were on their way back towards the Temple. Pink was becoming more and more excited to finally do something new and different. She couldn't help but wonder what she should do first, but then again what was there for her to really do? It wasn't like she had a colony to take care of, or her own gems as of yet. She didn't even have a pearl yet. Deciding that she would worry about it later when they arrived at the Temple, she and Yellow made their way towards the Throne Room and was delighted to see White Diamond busily working on her throne.

"It's been so long White," said Pink as she nearly ran up towards White, "how have yo-" but was cut off when White made a several quick waves of her hand, indicating that she was very busy and didn't wish to be interrupted.

"Come Pink," said Yellow, "You will learn with time that when White is working, it is best to leave her alone. You will only make her angry if you press any further." As soon as they left the Throne Room, Pink looked over her shoulder and said:

"I can see where you learned your work ethic," she said with a sly smile, "and I thought  _you_  were strict when it came to me interrupting your work." Yellow huffed at the remark but there was a small hint of a smile on her face.

"Well, I was with White Diamond for millenniums before Blue came around, I must admit she did have a major influence on me."

"Not to say that is a bad thing," said Pink quickly.

"Of course not," Yellow agreed. Soon they came up to a large Pink door, which made Pink excited.

"Here is where your private chamber is," said Yellow as she waited for her pearl to open the door for them, "I'm sure you will be pleased with what Blue has done with it." As soon as Yellow Pearl opened the door, Pink stepped inside to look around and was immediately delighted. The room was spacious, well lit and had different shades of pink throughout it. There was a large chair for her to sit on, and in the middle of the room was a large pink bed with large pillows on it. Other then that, there wasn't much to the room save for some decorations and the window seat that was next to the large window.

"I absolutely love it," said Pink as she spun around her room and looked back at Yellow, "I really should call Blue and thank her for such a wonderful design."

"I'm sure she would like that," said Yellow, "and now I really must go."

"Stay safe out there," said Pink walking up to her. Yellow actually laughed at that and turned back to her.

"You worry over nothing. I should be back in less than a decade. If you need anything, use the Diamond Line to call me," with that last bit of advice Yellow turned and left Pink alone in her new room. She turned around and kept admiring her room, she walked up to the window seat and sat down on it and looked out the window. Homeworld was truly beautiful. She could hardly wait to finally go out and truly explore it. She then turned back to what she really wanted to look at, her new bed. She jumped up from the window seat and then trotted over to the bed, but then froze in terror thinking about the floor and looked down, but there was no damage to it. She decided to try something experimental and purposefully jumped up off the ground and landed as hard as she dared. It did make an awful noise and she was sure it shook some smaller gems who were nearby but she had to know. She looked down at the floor; it was still intact, as if she hadn't just jumped on it.

"Blue must have had her Bismuths use a strong material to reinforce my room," she said to her self. With that new knowledge in mind she went up to her bed and jumped hard onto it, finally feeling free to not having to be so careful on not breaking something just by sitting or stepping on it. She sighed at this new found peace that she had and she knew exactly what she wanted to do. She closed her eyes, settled down and for the first time in nearly a century she let her mind slip into peaceful sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

White had gone over the reports several times just to make sure she hadn't missed anything, but she still liked to make video contact just to make sure that she kept up with the latest progress. She made her way back to her private chamber and said:

"Pearl, wait out here. I am not to be disturbed by anyone, under no circumstances. I should return shortly."

"Yes My Diamond," said White Pearl with a low bow and stood at attention in her usual spot at the door. White's chamber was nothing more than a simple room with only a chair in it. There were no fancy decorations, bed or even a window. The only other thing in the entire room was a switch to turn on and off a light that was high up on the ceiling, and even that was hardly used. She made her way to her chair and sat down on it and activated her holoscreen. She sat there as still as a statue waiting for the other party to pick up the other side of the call. Finally, the other side answered and the white screen was overtaken with the color green and yellow.

"This is Peridot Facet-184T Cut-3C9," she said quickly while saluting.

"How goes your research on Project F," asked White. Peridot lowered her arms and cleared her throat.

"Hasn't my team sent you the latest reports yet," she asked meekly.

"They have," said White, "but I would like to know how the project is going."

"The project so far is gaining some progress in learning about common trends occurring in several of the other gems," said Peridot, "however we have not been able to find any permanent means of lessening the form density."

"Go on," said White who was interested.

"We have discovered that the gems with higher density concentrations tend to have similar habits and traits. In these same gems their gem energy levels are also higher than the others, as the reports clearly show. We separated all the gems into five groups. Group One being of the lowest density and Group Five being the highest. We then selected a few gems as 'control' gems, so we could rule ou-"

"I'm well aware of this," said White with a wave of her hand, "I want to know about the actual experiments performed on them and how those went."

"O-Of course," said Peridot, "we first discovered that Group Five's gems were the ones that could take the most physical damage of all the other gems," she said looking over her own reports, "and were incredibly difficult to poof, if at all. During our testing on trying to lower their gems energy however," said Peridot, "we discovered that their high energy and some behaviors were connected."

"How so," asked White.

"The gems on the subjects were still in a state of seeking out energy despite having an enormous amount of it," said Peridot, "and when we tried to take away energy, the gems would instantly seek out to replenish the lost energy." White leaned back in her chair and brought her hand up to her face, clearly thinking about what was being told to her.

"These gems with the higher energy will often engage in activities like sleeping for extensive amounts of time if given the opportunity. Then we decided to try an experiment with Sub Group 5.3. We introduced the concept of consumption to them. The results were unexpected. Sub Group 5.3 soon began to beg for more. Soon it was if they couldn't get enough. We monitored their gem energy while they consumed the food and learned that the energy derived from it did indeed go within the gem and not into the form of the body. The strange thing was the gem absorbed all of what was consumed, nothing was left to waste.

"Very interesting," said White as she rubbed her chin, "it seems like you said; the gems are like they were still underground forming and are in a state of seeking out minerals."

"We think," said Peridot, "if we can somehow safely turn off this state the gem is in, we could extract the energy safely," Peridot looked at her records, "we've been having great success with Group One and Two in this regard, we've been able to get some gem's density down nearly two percent for an extended period of time."

"Excellent work," said White, "is there anything else you have discovered?"

"Well," said Peridot looking down at her record, "disturbingly yes, My Diamond."

"What is it," asked White who didn't like Peridot's sudden tone shift.

"We did discover when we were testing physical endurance in the groups on how stable forms were before poofing back into their gems..." she paused and looked away from the monitor.

"Continue," commanded White. Peridot sighed and looked back at White.

"Group Five was incredibly resilient to poofing, however when their form disrupted only forty percent of the group successfully retreated back into their gems, the rest instantly shattered due to the sudden stress of their denser form disrupting."

"Interesting," was all White said. This took Peridot slightly off guard.

"Aren't you a bit concerned, My Diamond?"

"Why should I be," said White, "in the history of gem kind has a diamond ever been forced back into her gem? Of course not, besides you will find a solution far before anything could remotely happen. Thank you for your continued work on Project F Peridot. If you ever need more resources you may call whenever." With a flick of her finger White ended the communication and the room once again enveloped her in darkness. White sat back in her chair and thought about what Peridot said. Only forty percent ever made it back into their gems, the rest instantly shattered just from having their forms disrupted. The risk was there...as small as it was, there still was that risk. Then again, there was always a risk every day now wasn't there? She and the others may be diamonds, but they were still a gem, still at the same risk as any other gem was. It was so easy to forget that fact. Besides who was to say Pink was a 'group five' level gem of Project F.

White stood back up and turned back towards the door of her room, the faint glow of her gem guiding her way. She walked out of that dark room and made her way towards Pink's chamber. As soon as her pearl opened the door, White was slightly discouraged when she saw Pink sound asleep on her bed. However it wasn't absolute proof, but she wasn't willing to try to discover if she was or wasn't in this 'group five' or not. She walked over to the bed and sat on the edge and gently started to rub Pink's back. Pink started to wake from her slumber, and looked over at White with sleepy eyes, but smiled up at her.

"I was dreaming," said Pink still half asleep, "I read about them, although the dream didn't make much sense."

"What was your dream about," asked White standing back up.

"I was back in the ground," said Pink rolling over, "but I was warm and happy; somehow you three were there," she shrugged at it, "dreams are odd things."

"That they are," said White, "it is strange what our minds come up with, sometimes we dream up old memories that we...never mind," she waived her hand and walked back over to Pink.

"I've finished my reading," Pink said stretching on the bed, "and I decided to reward myself with a bit of sleep before I begin work on my colony."

"I'm afraid your kindergarten will not be ready for another several hundred years or so Pink," said White as she sat back on the bed, "until then you will have to wait to begin to build your own colony."

"That's fine," said Pink rolling over again, "I think I would like to visit Homeworld and some of the colonies I read about first. It really was interesting to read about all the worlds and history of each colony."

"Perhaps you could convince Blue Diamond to take you to Colony 15 to retrieve your Pearl," said White, "I have taken the liberty to call there today and they think she will emerge soon. It may be difficult to get her to go, but I have a feeling you of all gems can talk her into taking you there."

"Truly," asked Pink sitting up in bed, "I shall call Blue this instant and ask her." She jumped out and ran to go out but paused at the open door that White Pearl opened for her and gingerly made her way down the hall. White smiled and shook her head, the entire Temple had been reinforced as soon as they had learned of Pinks condition, but it was sweet of her to be considerate.

 

* * *

 

 

Pink instantly fell in love with Blue Diamonds' palanquin the moment she first rode inside it. She beamed with excitement when the legs of the palanquin extended and the great machine walked towards the warp pad.

"Do you truly like it," asked Blue as she looked up at Pink from her seat of the palanquin, "if you'd like I could have one constructed for you."

"You've done so much for me already," said Pink, "when I eventually get my own court, I'll have them make my own. Until then, perhaps I may borrow yours," she said as she admired the inside of the palanquin. As they warped, Blue smiled up at her but then frowned and looked forward.

"I can't believe you convinced me to go to the oyster farm in person Pink," she said as she grimaced just thinking about it.

"Why," asked Pink, "didn't you go greet your pearl when she first emerged?"

"Hardly," said Blue looking down at her pearl, "believe me Pink, after today you will not want to come back to any oyster farm after this."

"I can't see why," said Pink, "how is it any different than any kindergarten?"

"Well to begin with," said Blue as she adjusted her cloak and readied her handkerchief, "the smell is absolutely dreadful. Then there's the actual...well, I suppose you'll see for yourself Pink. I'm surprise you don't already know about it. Didn't you read about pearl farms?"

"I skipped it," whispered Pink, "I was keeping this as a surprise for myself, please don't tell Yellow."

"Oh Pink," Blue sighed as she rolled her eyes, "please don't tell me you skipped anything else."

"I promise on my gem that I didn't," said Pink as she raised up her right arm and put her left on her gem, "I only skipped that...and some other boring parts about politics. I can't even remember what they were about, it was over sixty years ago." Pink could hear Blue heavily sigh that reminded her very much of Yellow.

"And so Pink Diamond's secret of her early reading accomplishment is revealed," said Blue with a deadpan tone.

"You really won't tell Yellow now will you," asked Pink.

"Of course not," said Blue "I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did with Yellow. I'm more impressed you were able to sneak your way past her tests without knowing those parts."

"I can't reveal all my secrets now can I," said Pink and the two started to chuckle as the warp came to an end. The great palanquin began to move forward again and the smell of saltwater hit Pink for the first time.

"What is that smell," asked Pink, "I've never smelled anything like it before!"

"Saltwater," said Blue, "Colony 15 is covered in it. We had plans on completely terraforming the entire planet but we discovered the oyster species and learned they made excellent pearls, much better than the older models ever were. The planet was only converted half way," said Blue as she steered the palanquin around some small obstacles, "but it still serves as a great colony." Pink looked at the side of the palanquin, with the vale in the way it was slightly difficult to see but not impossible to do so but she could see some gem structures in the far distance. Soon Pink could smell something new and...it wasn't very pleasant at all. It was a strange smell that made her face involuntarily contort and her middle clench up.

"We are here," Blue said as she brought her handkerchief to her face and stood up from her seat, "try not to make that face as we exit Pink," she said looking at her, "we must keep our appearances up." Pink nodded and tried to relax her face but the smell was very hard to ignore. As the two diamonds exited the palanquin, Pink looked around and was actually quite interested in what she saw. Rows and rows of these oysters she had heard about, attached to strings that were being hoisted up by other gems who were wearing masks (she could guess as to why) and gloves and boots. The gems then would disattach large oysters (which were roughly the size of her clenched fist) and then they lined them up. Some oysters had numbers on them, most didn't. Pink then noticed that Larimar was approaching them with a very pleasant smile on her face.

"Welcome to your Oyster Farm my radiant Diamond," Larimar said bowing low, "I am humbled and surprised that you have graced us with your lustrous beauty."

"An extremely rare occurrence that will probably not happen again," agreed Blue Diamond, "however Pink Diamond wished to retrieve her pearl personally. You had called and said you believe she was about to emerge shortly?"

"We believe so yes," said Larimar who started to guide the two giants down the wooden walkway above the water, "our prized oyster began to open."

"Would you mind explaining the process for me," asked Pink kindly, then seeing the look Blue gave her she quickly added on, "I just would like to hear from your...experience of the process of pearl farming. I find it fascinating that the pearls come from organics."

"Isn't it grotesquely remarkable, My Diamond," Larimar said to Pink, "to think a gem could be produced by an organic? It was discovered by mistake you know, by White Diamond herself. It was on her fifth colony, and some of the primordial ooze we use to create gems had accidentally been placed inside a similar creature like these oysters," she said gesturing to the other oysters, "and thirty years later, well...let's say the gem that came out wasn't the most elegant thing to ever exist. However White Diamond in her wisdom realized what had happened and what potential this new sub-gem type could accomplish."

"Sub-gem," interrupted Pink, "but they are gems."

"Well My Diamond," said Larimar looking up at her, "I suppose you are technically correct, but...they're not the same as you and I. We are made of minerals and stone, pearls are made of nacre...organic material. They're delicate, beautiful toys but other than that, they're not true gems, don't you agree My Diamond," she asked looking up at Blue Diamond.

"It is true," said Blue turning to Pink, "a pearl's reason to exist is to entertain and to aid her master, that is all she needs to do." As the three continued walking, Pink whispered into Blue's ear:

"You don't consider your pearl a companion?" She could hear a quiet snort like scoff come from Blue who in turn whispered in her ear:

"Please don't embarrass yourself and by extension me in front of my gems. Please drop the subject." Pink sighed and did as she was asked, but now felt a twinge of guilt. As they continued to walk, some of the pearls were beginning to emerge from the oysters.

"Ah," said Larimar stopping, "here are some of our freshwater pearls emerging. These ones are standard pearls that are usually given out as prizes or rewards to soldiers." It was actually more loathsome than Pink had first imagined. When she had emerged, it was from the ground. Sure she had been covered in dirt but it was dry and dignified. This was anything but. The oysters seemed to fight the pearls, wishing to remain closed but then a slimy arm or leg would slip out from the side of the oyster and then the pearl would try to wiggle her way out. They were covered in a thick layer of slime, completely naked and looked just as miserable as the process seemed to be. The gem harvesters weren't any better for the poor things either. The ones who didn't manage to wiggle their way free were violently ripped out from the oysters by the larger gems and all of them were unceremoniously collected in a basket. All the pearls were of course quietly moaning and wailing in discomfort, but it seemed to be already programmed into them if they cried out any louder they knew they would be punished for it.

"After the pearls are collected," said Larimar, "the workers gather them to clean them off, poof them so they may form their appearance modifiers and ship them on their way."

"Are all the pearls treated this way," asked Pink who was quite shocked at the rough treatment of the pearls.

"Of course not," said Larimar, "our high quality pearls are handled with personal care and are instantly cleaned off. Most are also rarely poofed as they do not require it. Your pearl is inside our facility My Diamond. Right this way," she said walking to a diamond door and waited for Blue Pearl to open it for her. Blue Pearl opened it up and waited for the three to continue inside but Pink paused to look down at her. Pearl simply bowed in return, so Pink continued on. Resting on top of a pillow was another oyster, however this oyster was very healthy looking and much larger than the others.

"We pulled our prized oyster out yesterday when we realized that it began to open up," Larimar said, "that is a sign that the pearl inside is attempting to take form and is irritating the oyster. If the pearl isn't ready, you can still take her from the-" but as she was speaking there was a small glimmer of light that came from the rim of the oyster and then there was some frantic movement inside of it. Two workers who had been standing by the entire time quickly approached the oyster and gently as they could opened up the shell and reached inside and grabbed the new pearl from inside it. When they pulled out the new pearl, Pink was quite delighted at what she saw. It was just as she had ordered: the pearl had white skin, but pinkish hair and the rest of her appearance modifiers had blue, yellow and pink throughout. Pearl was muttering under her breath about 'disgusting' and 'can't see' when the workers started to gently scrub the slime away from her as they took her into the back area.

"Your pearl shall be ready momentarily My Diamond," said Larimar as she saluted the two giants.

"Thank you Larimar," said Pink, "you've worked hard the past century to make sure pearl was kept safe."

"It was a pleasure My Diamond," she said bowing low. As they waited, a worker came from the back where they had taken the new pearl and walked up to Larimar and started to whisper something in her ear. However at the same time, the new Pearl had been cleaned up, dried and made her way out of the back to find her master. She knew who it was, it was deeply embedded into her. She looked up at Pink Diamond and made three graceful strides over to her and gave the diamond salute and bowed low. Pink smiled at her and as gently as she could picked up the pearl and admired her in her hands. She really was a delicate thing in her clumsy hands, wasn't she? She would have to be extra careful with her at all times. Meanwhile as Larimar listened to the gem whispering in her ear, she went from her blueish aquamarine to a near white as she heard what was said.

"Where is it," quietly hissed Larimar at the other gem when she looked up and was horrified to see that Pink Diamond had already taken the defective pearl in hand.

"I humbly and profusely apologize, My Diamonds," said Larimar, as she saluted and tried to regain her composure, "but I am afraid we will have to re-due your order."

"What do you mean," asked Pink. Blue looked over at the pearl and instantly saw the problem.

"What a shame," said Blue, "I am sorry Pink, with pearls this happens more often than other gems. It's so hard to get them right." Pink looked over her pearl, she couldn't find anything wrong with her. Even the pearl who still kept still and proper like a pearl should, had a slight confused look in her eyes.

"It's her gem, My Diamond," said Larimar, "it is oval shaped, not round. She is a defective gem. We will begin a new one strait away for you and will take care of this defect." Pink glanced at the Pearl who was only mere minutes old, and suddenly she had been sentenced to die all because her gem wasn't perfectly round like it should be. Pink's gentle grip on her pearl tightened.

"It's alright," said Pink, "this pearl will do wonderfully. If I ever need to, I can always order another one later Larimar," she said looking down at her with a smile, "thank you for your time and for showing us around your facility," and before anyone could say or do anything, Pink turned and walked quickly out, unfortunately stepping a bit too heavily and leaving some broken wooden planks behind her. Blue Diamond turned to Larimar and said:

"Make another one exactly like that one, only this time," she said leaning down and her voice growing low and dangerous, "Do not disappoint me a second time Larimar. I do not tolerate embarrassment of any kind...you just did that today, do it again and you'll know if there is an afterlife or not," and with that Blue Diamond also turned around and left the facility. Larimar ran her hands through her hair and turned to her two workers who stood by.

"Make three more pearls just like that one," she said to them, "use our best oysters, then we'll present the best one. We can't fail again...I can't fail again." Meanwhile Pink still gently held onto her Pearl as if she was made of spun glass. She knew she herself was defective, nobody was allowed to talk about it...it was the Authority's greatest shame. She was suppose to be a graceful diamond, but she wasn't, she broke things she held, was heavy and lumbered around. She couldn't help it, she was just formed that way, same with this pearl. This pearl didn't choose to have an oval shaped gem on her forehead, much like she didn't choose to have hers on her stomach.

"Are you alright, My Diamond," asked Pearl. Pink looked down in her hands and smiled.

"I am," she said, "now that I have you," now that she had a kindred spirit.


	5. Chapter 5

Blue Diamond remained very still and quiet during the warp back to Homeworld, something Yellow Diamond had warned her long ago that it was a clear indication that she was very upset and very close to fully losing her temper. Pink also stayed quiet, standing behind Blue's chair, still holding her new pearl who was now curled up comfortably in her hands. Pink figured that it was due to her rushed and rude behavior at the facility. Pink adjusted Pearl as gently as she could in her hands and rounded Blue's chair to get her attention.

"Blue," Pink quietly said, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for my behavior back at the farm. I didn't even thank you properly."

"For what," said Blue flatly, "it should be I who should be apologizing for giving you such a sub-par pearl," she said looking harshly at the pearl in Pinks' hands. Pearl shrunk back a little as she locked eyes with her, only causing Blue to glare more harshly. That was a clear sign that this pearl was a defect, no freshly emerged pearl would dare gaze directly into a diamond's eyes like this.

"Well, I think this pearl is wonderful," said Pink as she lifted her up to her eye level to look at her again, "I couldn't be more pleased." Blue sighed, she figured Pink was only trying to make her feel better about the defective pearl. Pink Diamond was very considerate that way.

"Well," said Blue, "when you grow tired of it, I already have another ordered for you in place of this one."

"That won't be necessary," said Pink, "but...I appreciate the thought." Blue turned to her and gave her a very small smile. After returning back to Homeworld and back to the Temple, Pink finally and very gently placed Pearl down. Blue gently smiled at that.

"She's not going to break by simply walking around on the ground," said Blue standing back up, "pearls are delicate, but they are also tougher than they look."

"Yes...well," said Pink quietly glancing to the side, "all things considered, she is... _my_  pearl after all, isn't she?" Blue's smile faded at what Pink was referring too and her eyes softened.

"No matter what happens," said Blue walking away, "I know you'll always be very careful with it." Pink watched her leave and decided to go to her chamber as well, she really had nothing better to do with her time. When she reached her private chamber she jumped when the door opened up. She looked down and saw that Pearl had opened the door without being asked to do so. Pearl looked up at her and smiled.

"Thank you Pearl," said Pink as she walked into her chamber, "I'm not use to the door suddenly opening when I'm by myself," she said sitting down in her chair, "actually...I've never opened this door on my own before, now that I think of it."

"I don't think you could," said Pearl very matter-of-factually, "judging the size of the panel and size of your hands and fingers, I would say that you would most likely crush the panel." Pink blinked at her, and sheepishly rubbed the back of her head from the blunt but honest statement.

"Yes, well I'm sure you're right. I did that with a diamond sized panel once, in Blues' ship." Pearl simply nodded in agreement and seemed pleased that her analysis was correct. Pink put her hand down and looked at her Pearl and smiled. So, now she had a pearl. Now that she had one...what was she really suppose to do with her? Blue seemed to indicate that she wasn't really meant to be a companion of some sort, but what else was a pearl meant to be? What would the others do with theirs when they weren't busy? Would their Pearls go on and do their own things?

"Would you like me to dance for you, My Diamond," asked Pearl enthusiastically. Pink snapped out of her train of thought and looked down at Pearl.

"Oh, um sure," Pink said shrugging her shoulders, "only if you really want to Pearl." Pearl gracefully bowed and with a smile, began to dance. The dance was slow and very graceful. It was a strange mix between an interpretive dance and ballet; at first Pink wished there was music to go with it but as the dancing continued she forgot all about it. She found herself sinking down onto the floor and lying down on it to get a better view of the dancing. Pearl's passion as she danced was very evident as she put all she had into each step as she spun and leapt. Pink was completely spellbound by Pearls' dancing. She rested her head onto her arms as she watched Pearl tell a wordless story through dancing. The dance seemed to go on forever, but then Pink realized that it had been going on for a long time and that Pearl was getting very tired but still danced as passionately as she did in the beginning. Pearl would continue to dance until she was commanded to stop.

"Pearl please stop," Pink said quickly raising up a bit off the floor, "that's enough." As soon as she was commanded, Pearl came to a standstill at an elegant pose, but it was still evident in Pearl's calm face that the dancing had taken it's toll on her. Pink gently scooped her up and placed her onto her pillow that was on her bed.

"Please rest here," said Pink, "I didn't realize how long you had been dancing. It was really so beautiful and interesting and...and I'm sorry," she said sitting down on the edge of the bed, "I didn't know that you'd keep going until I told you to stop."

"It is my purpose to serve you," said Pearl standing up from the pillow and bowing low, "that includes your entertainment. As long as you were entertained, then I am fulfilling my duty."

"That may be true," said Pink, "but that doesn't mean that I have to mistreat you the first day I have you."

"Don't be upset My Diamond," Pearl said standing back up from bowing, "shall I sing for you to make you feel better?"

"No thank you Pearl," said Pink, "but thank you for thinking of me." Pink laid down on the bed, which caused Pearl to scurry away from her spot. Pink stared up at the ceiling and sighed in frustration with herself. She closed her eyes and tried to think of something to do. She could sleep again, but there was other things she could do like...

"Why didn't I think of that sooner," said Pink rather loudly springing up from her bed, "Pearl, we should go out and see Homeworld!"

"If that is your wish," said Pearl.

"I'm sure you'll love it," said Pink, "I mean, I've never seen it for myself but it would be fun to go out and see it for ourselves, don't you think?"

"Yes My Diamond," said Pearl with a nod and bow. Pink was too excited to go out, she forgot about letting Pearl rest and even forgot about being very careful with her. She grabbed Pearl around her waist rather roughly (she didn't even hear Pearl's "Oof" as she grabbed her) and quickly whisked her down to the floor.

"Come Pearl," said Pink very excitedly, "let's go at once!"

"As you wish," said Pearl after regaining her balance from nearly being tossed onto the floor. She went over to the door and activated it for Pink and no sooner as she did, she was quickly picked back up.

"I know you're tired," said Pink, "so I'll carry you." Pearl squirmed a bit in Pink's tight grip but soon her hand loosened and was soon cradling her in her hands, much to Pearl's relief. After stepping outside the Temple and looking around, Pearl expected to be placed down again.

"Shall I summon your personal ship My Diamond," Pearl asked looking up at Pink.

"I have no ships at the moment," said Pink looking around, "but that really doesn't matter. We shall walk with the other gems, it will be the best way to get a good look around. I read that the Homeworld Spire was close to the Temple. I would like to go there and see it for myself," Pink then started to walk towards where she believed the Spire was when she heard Pearl make a polite noise to get her attention.

"I believe My Diamond wishes to go in the other direction," Pearl said raising her finger in the air and had a mild air of arrogance in her voice, "if you wish I could lead the way."

"You know the way," asked Pink who was genuinely surprised as she placed Pearl down onto the ground.

"Of course," said Pearl as she bowed low and now her pride burst forth, "when I was commissioned, I was to have all of current Homeworld's top priority knowledge embedded; that includes locations, maps and so on. If you would like, I could explain anything you may have any questions on." Pink looked down at Pearl and quietly realized that White Diamond must have ordered that. Not that it bothered her; she was actually grateful that she would have someone who would be able to explain something that she wouldn't fully know about or understand, despite reading Homeworlds' information...well, most of it anyway.

"Thank you Pearl," she said, "I would appreciate that. Please, lead the way." Pearl beamed at that and she held her head high as she walked ahead of Pink. As they walked, many gems stopped and stared at what was a very unusual and uncommon sight: A diamond of all gems who was not only just walking around without any entourage or guards, but was following behind a pearl. As they walked, Pink did notice that some of the upper class gems, especially if they had their own pearls, were giving Pearl odd looks of disdain. Was it because she was a diamond's pearl or was it because she was leading her towards the Spire and that was breaking some taboo she wasn't aware of? Regardless, she didn't like it so she quietly picked up Pearl and said to her:

"You can lead me from here Pearl," as she set her on her shoulder, "just tell me where to go."

"Very well My Diamond," said Pearl, "keep going strait for another twenty miles." As they walked away from the group of gems, she didn't see or hear that her attempt to save Pearl from any further controversy only caused more. As Pink walked, Pearl held onto her hair to help steady her. She was surprised how her diamond...lumbered about. She didn't notice it when she was held, but on her shoulder it was very noticeable how hard she would rise and fall. Soon they came to the Spire and Pink was very pleased to see many gem types and different caste types surrounding it. This was what she had wanted to do since she had first emerged from the ground.

"Come Pearl," she said grabbing Pearl and setting her back down onto the ground, "let us go and socialize with the common gems."

"As you wish," Pearl said as she followed Pink, taking note of the faint cracks in the ground where Pink had been standing and could hear the ground crunch as she took each step. After Pink approached the Spire, she quickly realized something; the spire was mostly meant for smaller gems. There was only one walk way for a gem of her size but that wasn't where the other gems were, and she wanted to be where they were. She looked and saw that they were inside the Spire, beyond the arches and pillars. She really thought about squeezing between the pillars, but looking in she could see that she would be very uncomfortable in the room beyond and would crowd out the other gems as well.

"Welcome to the Homeworld Spire, Pink Diamond," said a voice that came from below her, she looked down and could see a blue sapphire that had her gem on her chest, "I had foreseen your arrival and waited for you here."

"Thank you Sapphire," said Pink, "I appreciate your welcome." The sapphire curtsied and then held her hands gravely.

"You will not find what you seek here," she said quietly. Pink tilted her head, not fully understanding what Sapphire was talking about.

"I have foreseen why you have come here, and you will not find what you seek here. My Diamond, Blue Diamond cares greatly about reputation and if you continue down this path, I fear it may harm yours and in extension, the Authority's." Pink was taken back from this and was moderately offended.

"Please tell me how so," she asked but in a less friendly tone.

"You seek conversations," said Sapphire, "and with all the respect in the Galaxy, if you converse with any of the gems here in the Spire you will be greatly embarrassed and lost within the conversations." Pink was about to say something in her defense, but then thought about what Sapphire was saying. Why would this sapphire go out of her way to say this to her; it seemed she was only trying to look out for her.

"You should speak to My Diamond with more respect," said Pearl who approached Sapphire and puffed out her chest, "she is-"

"My only desire is to protect the sanctity of the Diamond Authority," said Sapphire, "it was what I was made for; a pearl such as yourself should also know what you were made for. That includes your place," she looked up at Pearls' gem and kept what she thought of the defective pearl to herself.

"That's enough out of both of you," said Pink raising her hand, "I'm sure you know I did not come to watch or be in a fight. Thank you Sapphire," she said looking down at her, "for telling me this information. I appreciate your consultation and insight, and will take your advice in good faith." Sapphire curtsied again and said:

"I am sorry that you did not find what you sought here" she said sincerely, "but I do see you finding what you seek beyond the Spire."

"Again, thank you Sapphire," she said again turning around and leaving the Spire. Pearl gave a lingering glare at Sapphire, however Sapphire turned around and simply walked away. She had better things to do than worry about a defective pearl who would most likely be shattered soon anyway. She had fulfilled her duty to her Diamond and to the Authority and prevented what would have been an embarrassment to it.

As they walked away, Pink could hear Pearl muttering to herself. She looked down and could see that Pearl's face was flushed with a deep cyan of anger. Pink reached down and picked her up, much to Pearl's surprise.

"It's fine," said Pink, "It's probably for the best we didn't stay. I...really didn't fit in there anyway, it would have been very difficult to be comfortable in there."

"Well, if you ask me," said Pearl, "that sapphire should have been more respectful towards you. The nerve of that gem...calling you an 'embarrassment'."

"She didn't call me an embarrassment," corrected Pink as she walked placing Pearl back on her shoulder, "she was just watching out for me." Pearl said nothing, she was still angry but she knew she probably wouldn't change Pink's mind. As Pink walked, she soon came to an area that started to slope down towards the lower levels.

"Let's go down here," said Pink as she started down the slope.

"Are you sure that is wise My Diamond," said Pearl, "these are the lower levels, were it will be more...restricted for you? The lower levels are mostly tunneled areas and are certainly not made for a diamond to be in. "

"I can bend down as I walk," said Pink, "besides I wish to see ALL of Homeworld, that includes the lower levels."

"As you wish," said Pearl with some unease in her voice. As they walked, Pink did indeed have to start walking with a slight bend in her back, and it soon started to become uncomfortable, then the roof became even lower so she would have to bend down even further. Pearl figured that this would be the point that Pink would turn around and head back towards the Temple, however Pink seemed determined to continue. As they continued they could hear voices from around one of the corners. Pearl jumped down from Pink's shoulder (at this point it wasn't a far jump as Pink was practically doubled over) and she took a careful glance around the corner to see what was ahead. Far beyond the corner was a small group of three bismuths, repairing a wall beam while shifting their arms and hands to form tools while being guarded by some jaspers as they worked. They were all laughing and talking as they worked.

"It is a repair team, My Diamond," whispered Pearl, "repairing a broken wall beam."

"Wonderful," whispered Pink as she finally crouched down trying to ease the ache in her knees and back from bending so oddly, "we should approach them and-"

"-so you three really have been in the Temple?" asked one of the jasper guards in awe.

"I'd give anything to see My Diamond in person," said the other jasper, "especially sitting on her throne in all her glory, shining like the sun."

"Trust me," said one of the bismuths, "it's not as wonderful as it's cracked up to be."

"It's more intimidating than anything," said the other bismuth, who had her gem in her chest, "especially if you anger them. My Diamond is Blue Diamond, and she demands perfection, and if you don't give her perfection..." her face darkened and she ground her teeth in anger.

"That's why My Diamond, Yellow Diamond is so wonderful," said the first jasper, "sure she's strict, but she is willing to listen to you and will give you multiple chances. One of my teammates messed up bad on one of our missions and was sent to Yellow Diamond. I thought for sure she would be shattered but she was back within two cycles," jasper's eyes twinkled with admiration and respect, "I'll never forget that." The same bismuth that had the gem in her chest barked out a scoff so loud that caused all the gems to look at her.

"Oh please," said Bismuth, "I have seen the darker side of the diamonds and it is not a nice side to be on. I've lost many...MANY good friends to their rage over...PETTY things," she said glaring at nothing, then took in a deep breath to calm herself down, "all I'm saying is in the end they really don't care about gems like us. We're the grunts, not the upper crusts who get to enjoy all the benefits of being an elite."

"Hey-hey," said one of the other bismuths, "let's not get into that right now, let's just focus on this beam huh?" There was an awkward silence for a moment until the third bismuth who's gem was on her shoulder said with a chuckle.

"Hey, at least we're not at the Temple on Pink Storm Duty." The other two bismuths started to chuckle hard at that, leaving the jaspers in the dark.

"What's that," asked one jasper.

"Oh stars," said the first bismuth, "you know Pink Diamond," she said turning towards the jasper.

"The newest diamond," said jasper, "I've heard of her, but she's so new I haven't heard much of her."

"Well, Pink Diamond is really rough on everything," said the second bismuth waving her hand, "she breaks walls, floors, decorations,"

"Out of anger," asked the second jasper who seemed to become afraid of this new diamond.

"Oh no, she's just a gigantic klutz from what I heard," said the first bismuth.

"I've heard other rumors though," said Bismuth with a dark undertone in her voice.

"I can't tell you how many times I've repaired that floor in the Temple," said the third bismuth, "finally White Diamond just said to use the strongest material we have to reinforce the floor," she started to laugh, "its the same material we use on our strongest war ships...for the FLOOR! Still doesn't save the marble though."

"Oh stars," said the first jasper, "that's crazy. What about outside the temple?"

"It's such a mess when she goes out," said the second bismuth, "you can see literally wherever she goes and it takes so much time to fix everything. I heard she wants a Palanquin like Blue Diamonds', and I hope she gets one, maybe she won't break so many things while riding in it."

"That won't save the decorations in the Temple," said the third bismuth as they started to laugh. Pearl sat there and had to use all of her will power to not march over there and tell all the gems off. She turned to where Pink was to ask what she thought but Pink wasn't there anymore. Pearl looked down the hall and saw that Pink had already retreated half way down the hall and was continuing as quietly as she could. Pearl quickly tried to catch up to Pink to see if she was alright. As soon as Pink was in a position to stand up better she came to a stop. Pearl gently came around to Pink's front, half expecting her to be extremely upset, instead she was surprised to see she had a blank expression on her face.

"Are you alright," Pearl asked quietly. Pink simply nodded and lowered her hand for Pearl to step on. As soon as she did and Pearl was back onto her shoulder, Pink continued walking back out of the lower levels. She remained quiet the entire time as they walked back. Pearl felt as if she should say something, like 'those gems don't know what they're talking about' but given Pink's reaction and her own experience with her today it seemed it was all painfully true.

 

* * *

 

Sometime later, they came up to a small bowled area where gems could gather around and sit and converse. Pink decided that it was secluded and thankfully large enough for her to sit comfortably in to rest. She sat down in the middle of the shallow pit, sitting cross-legged and rested her head in her hands while resting her elbows on her knees.

"Is there anything I can do for you, My Diamond," asked Pearl.

"No," said Pink, "I just want to rest here for a bit before continuing back, and think about things. I just want to sit quietly for now Pearl, thank you." Pearl bowed and then stood in attention as she carefully watched for any gem who could come their way and disturb her diamond as she rested. After a few minutes, Pink thought she could feel something start to crawl up her back, that was followed by two more things, then three.

"What on Homeworld," mumbled Pink as she straightened up and reached behind her to try to get whatever was on her back off. Pearl turned around and saw that Pink was reaching behind her back and she raced to see what was on her. Just as Pearl reached to see what was on her, Pink had managed to pluck one of the things off of her and she brought it around to look at it. She looked down and smiled at the small gem.

"What do you think you rubies are doing," cried out Pearl as she watched them crawl around on Pink's back, "My Diamond is NOT an obstacle course! Get off of her this instant!"

"What diamond," said a ruby that had managed to climb up near Pink's shoulder, "there's only three diamonds; Blue, Yellow and White. This big gem is Pink, clearly not a diamond."

"Were you made yesterday," cried out Pearl, "this is Pink Diamond, the fourth member of the Diamond Authority!"

"No," said the ruby, "I was made last month."

"Hey look," said one of the other rubies, "she's right, look" she said sliding down towards Pink's gem, "it's a big diamond gem."

"Golly, it's bigger than I am," said another ruby. Most of the rubies then came to the front on her lap to look at her gem and she couldn't help but smile down at these little rubies that had swarmed her. She had read about rubies on how they were common mass-produced soldiers sadly made to be cannon fodder at best, so they were not made to have...high intelligence. However it was evident what they lacked in...intuition they seemed to make up for it in passion. Pink found them incredibly adorable.

"Where is my squad," cried out another ruby from the side. Pink looked over and saw what appeared to be the squad leader.

"Rubies, fall in line," called out the squad leader.

"But I don't want to fall from here," said one of the rubies who was looking down from Pink's shoulder with some anxiety.

"Where is F58," called out the leader as she glanced around looking at her troops.

"I've been captured," joyfully called out the little ruby waving her arms and legs in Pink's grip.

"Arg," cried out the leader, "why do I get such incompetent rookies to train?! I told you dummies climb the training wall and what do you do? You go climb up a DIAMOND! I can't believe you! Please forgive them," said Ruby giving the Diamond Salute, "most are under a month old and don't know any better."

"It's fine," said Pink grabbing the other ruby from her shoulder and placing both rubies down onto the ground, "it's very nice to meet all of you fine rubies. Homeworld will benefit from your hard work." The rubies all beamed with pride and amazement from that, to receive praise from someone so...big.

"Wow," said one of the rubies, "you're really nice."

"Yeah," said another ruby, "you're as nice as you are big!" Pink's smile slightly wavered at that.

"I..I appreciate your kind words," said Pink, "you really are too kind."

"Is something wrong," asked one of the rubies. Pink was about to say 'oh no I'm fine' but she still felt bad about what had happened in the lower levels and she felt if she talked to the other diamonds about it, they would want to shatter the gems involved and she did not want that.

"Actually yes," said Pink rubbing her arm, "something is wrong. I...I don't really like my size. I don't really fit in with most other gems and it makes it hard not to break things. I know it's just the nature of being a diamond and I can't help it, but sometimes I wish I could be a different size."

"Why don't you just shapeshift," asked a ruby innocently, "I know it's only temporarily but it's better than nothing." Now it was Pink's turn to sound like a ruby.

"What do you mean," she asked.

"I'm glad you asked," interrupted Pearl quickly, glad to be of use to her Diamond, "as you know, all gems have shapeshifting capabilities; the ability to change our bodies into objects or parts of, or all of our bodies. That does include our size." Pink smiled, she hadn't even considered that possibility at all.

"Yes," said Pink sitting up strait, "I'll try just that," and she closed her eyes and tried to envision herself smaller, however nothing seemed to happen. She looked down at her hands and tried again but didn't feel anything.

"Perhaps," she said standing up, "I need to practice this. Thank you all for giving me this idea."

"Of course," said a ruby, "we'll practice hard too so we can be good soldiers and make you proud of us." Pink nodded and smiled.

"Come on Pearl, let's head back to the Temple to practice," she said while picking her back up. Pink waved her goodbyes to the little squad of rubies and many of them still questioned who that big gem even was.

 

* * *

 

"Could you show me one more time," asked Pink as she sat on the edge of her bed. She had been trying to shapeshift even a part of herself but nothing seemed to work. Pearl on the other hand could do it as simply as if she was flexing a finger. Pearl had transformed into a smaller version of Pink, it was very comical to see a near white version of herself but at this point she was getting very frustrated on why she couldn't do it. She tried again, straining to feel anything in her form or in her gem but nothing was working.

"Why can't I do this," she finally said as she laid back on top of the bed, "it's not like I haven't been trying, I feel exhausted from the strain of it. Perhaps I'll ask White or Blue," she finally said defeated, "they'll know more than I do...perhaps Diamond's just can't do it?"

"Do what," came the familiar voice of White who had entered her room with her own pearl. Pink sat up quickly and flicked some of her hair out of her eyes.

"Oh White," she said standing up, "I didn't think you'd just-"

"Show up," she said flatly, "I need to talk to you."

"Well what I wanted to ask is," said Pink, but she was cut off by the raised hand of White and Pink could see that White was in no mood to be spoken over.

"You left the Temple grounds with no entourage or guards to protect you," she said very sternly, "you walked around Homeworld ground for common gems to gawk at you. You caused," she paused because she knew this was a sensitive subject, "you caused some damage to the grounds near the Spire and gems are talking about it Pink," she said folding her arms, "they are even saying that you went down to the lower levels, is that true?" Pink looked away.

"It is, isn't it," White sighed, "what on Homeworld did you expect to find down there?"

"I'm sorry," Pink said quietly.

"What," said White.

"I, I don't mean to embarrass you or the Authority," Pink said still in her quiet voice, "I just wanted to go out and see Homeworld and have conversations with other gems, that's all." White unfolded her arms and closed her eyes.

"Oh, don't make me the villain here," she said, "I...you don't embarrass us Pink. We worry about you."

"But Sapphire said that," and Pink bit her cheek and cursed herself, she promised herself she wouldn't drop any names. White raised an eyebrow but did not ask any questions. She looked down at the pearls.

"Pearls," she said with a flick of her hand, "leave us." They bowed low and both left the room. White went over to Pink's chair and sat in it.

"I don't want you to go out and wander around until you have your own entourage," she said to her, "and until we fix your condition. I don't want gems to think you're defective."

"White, can I ask you to do something," Pink asked.

"What is it?"

"Can you shapeshift into a bismuth?"

"An odd request," said White, "why?"

"I just want to see it," said Pink flatly.

"Very well," said White, her form suddenly was engulfed in white light and her form started to shrink down to the size of the bismuths that Pink and Pearl had seen. Soon a perfect white rendition of a bismuth was standing in the chair. White looked up at Pink, and saw a very devastated look on Pink's face. She quickly returned to her original form and asked:

"What's wrong Pink," she said grabbing her shoulders.

"I can't do it," she said quietly, "I can't shapeshift at all. I've been trying for hours and I just can't do it." Pink sat down on the bed and sighed. White stood there as still as a statue.

"Shapeshifting isn't necessary for Diamonds Pink," she said to her gently.

"But it's something that all gems _should_  be able to do," Pink said laying down on her bed and curling up, "I'm sorry White, but I wish to be alone for now please. I think I'd like to sleep," she said rolling over. White Diamond sighed.

"Very well," she said, "I'll keep your Pearl with me for the time being. Get some rest," she said turning to the door and leaving the room. As soon as she was alone, Pink looked at her gem and gently rubbed it, then closed her eyes and tried her best to fall asleep.

As White Diamond walked towards the two Pearls who had stood far away from the door, she said to both of them:

"Pink Diamond wishes to be alone for the time being, her pearl will remain with me until then."

"Yes, My Diamond," said White Pearl.

"If I may," said Pearl, "I would like to make sure that My Diamond is alright, she seemed distressed and I think-" but before she could finish she felt two giant fingers clasp painfully on her gem and pick her up off the ground. She squealed as she grabbed onto the fingers with her arms to relieve the pain in her gem as her legs kicked wildly.

"You  _do not_  talk back defect," hissed White coldly, "you only follow orders. Tell me," she said squeezing harder on the gem, "do you think if I pinch harder, your gem will mold into the proper shape it should have been?" Pearl was still kicking wildly in the air as she was trying to get a lift up to take any pressure off of her gem. Her whole world was pain as White Diamond gently swayed her body in the air as if she was a rag doll.

"You were designed to keep her informed and safe," said White as she swayed Pearl in the air, "instead we get this useless know-it-all who 'thinks' and 'would like' to do things. Hear me well defect," said White finally letting Pearl's gem go and gripping her tightly in her hand, "you only still  _live_  because I know it would greatly upset Pink to know her pearl was shattered. She is very sensitive that way, but the day her new pearl emerges is the day  _you_  shatter. You live on borrowed time, so do not think you are more privileged than any other gem, because you only exist because of a very simple desire. You are to follow me until Pink Diamond awakens from her slumber; do  _not_  make me repeat myself again," and with that, White threw Pearl down onto the ground, which she bounced off once, hit into the wall and bounced off of that and landed in a heap on the floor.

"Stand up," said White Pearl, "you are wasting My Diamond's valuable time." It took all Pearl had in her to stand up from the blow she received from being tossed onto the ground. Her head still felt like exploding from White Diamond's grip on her gem. She staggered to follow White Pearl as best as she could and still remain elegant. It reminded her what Blue Diamond had said to Pink: Pearls were tougher than they look. White Diamond was a master who would not tolerate any flaws and the worst part of it all, despite her pain in her gem and her body, she knew White Diamond had been gentle on her. She decided to push that thought to the side, she had to focus. She couldn't risk upsetting White Diamond again so soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, any reviews would be GREATLY appreciated! ~<3 I greatly enjoy reading them and let me know if you guys are enjoying the story or not. If you find any spelling errors let me know please. Thanks and until next time! :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long to post...I had 6 pages written and then the file was corrupted and I literally had to start all over again and that S U C K E D. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy.

"This is Peridot Facet-184T Cut-3C9," she said as she answered the call. She knew who was calling her but she would always give her full name out; she didn't want to get into any more trouble while on this assignment, it was bad enough as is, "how may I serve you, My Diamond?"

"Peridot," said White Diamond, "I wanted to ask you about what affect the form flaw has on a gem's ability to shapeshift." The question seemed to catch Peridot off guard.

"W-Well um," sputtered Peridot as she gently clapped her hands together and looked away, "we haven't done a lot of research on the subject. What we have on it is this," she cleared her throat in an attempt to stall as she tried to gather what little they had on it.

"It seems that the denser forms makes it difficult for the gems to shapeshift, and in the more extreme cases it seems nearly impossible at all. However if put in a dire situation, such as a life or death situation, the gems were able to adequately shapeshift their form. However it did cause a great amount of physical pain. In short it is technically possible to shapeshift, but it is highly inefficient. I hypothesize that it should be corrected when we figure out the density issue. We discovered in sub-group 5.3 tha-"

"I see," said White wishing to finish the call, she stood up from her chair, "let me know if you find any more information on this issue."

"W-Wait," said Peridot, "I didn't tell you about the def-" but the transmission was terminated before she could finish. White Diamond sighed, this was the best she could do for Pink for now. At the very least she could put her mind at ease that she was capable of doing it. White wondered why Pink suddenly had a desire to do so in the first place. Diamonds had no reason to shapeshift at all, so why did she suddenly wish to do so? Then again, didn't she have her own desires when she was young? As she left her room, her pearl and the defect were standing in wait for her.

"Come," said White, "There's much work to be done. Pearl," she said looking down at her pearl, "go fetch my hologrids and bring them to the Diamond Throne Room, I wish to monitor Colonies one through twelve today."

"Right away My Diamond," said White Pearl as she broke away from the group to go get the requested materials. As White entered the throne room and sat down on her throne, she looked down at the defect. Pointing down to her left side of the throne, White said:

"Stand here. When your diamond is in her throne, you will stand on her right side in waiting, but since you are with me you may stand here for now." Pearl quickly went to where White Diamond had pointed and stood in attention.

"Yes White Diamond," said Pearl reverently, "thank you for-" but then she felt two knife-sharp fingernails pinch painfully into her head.

"You speak too much," said White, "all you need to say is 'Yes my diamond' and leave off at that. You don't need to say any more than that unless asked of you, otherwise stay silent." White Diamond let Pearl's head go but Pearl did not dare rub where the nails had been. White looked down at her and actually smiled.

"Very good," she said, "a proper pearl will stand still even when in pain or in fear. Perhaps there's hope for you yet, defect." White Pearl returned with the requested equipment and soon White Diamond was busy with several monitors, typing away and quietly working on her colonies. Pearl stood there quietly for hours but it was absolutely boring. The only sound was the sound of the holomonitors and the sound of when White Diamonds' fingernails would click against each other. She tried to think of something to keep herself entertained but soon she couldn't think of anything. She quietly took in a breath and sighed it out, but soon realized that she made a grave mistake. The clicking of the nails came to an immediate stop, and she knew that White Diamond had heard her. White Diamond leaned over and looked down at Pearl, who was standing still as possible. She could have been mistaken as a statue.

"Am I boring you defect," asked White, her voice low and dangerous. Pearl didn't dare look up at her. She felt long fingers gently wrap around her entire being and then lift her up off the ground. White Diamond leaned back into her throne and looked at Pearl while she drummed her fingers in annoyance.

"It will be interesting to see," White finally said, "if you will make it to your hundredth year. You constantly make little mistakes, and although I will forgive such grievances," she said tapping her fingernails, "Blue and Yellow Diamond will not. Yellow Diamond will most likely be the one to shatter you," she mused to herself, "Then again, who knows? Blue's mood changes so quickly." She looked down at Pearl who was trying her best to show no fear but it was very evident that the pearl was very frightened, she could even start to feel her shiver in her hand.

"Do you wish to go back to your diamond," she asked," you may answer if you wish."

"Yes," said Pearl, "I would." She kept her answer short and quick, not wanting to push her luck.

"Then go," said White as she put her down on the ground, "and keep in mind little defect. This is the last time I will show you any mercy. From now on you will have only your diamond to rely on. She is the only thing that will keep you safe from me and the other diamonds, so keep what little I taught you in mind, and who knows," she shrugged, "if you do a good enough job perhaps we may keep you longer than intended. A little motivation is good for any gem, don't you think? Prove to me that you deserve life and I may decide to let you continue on. Now go," she said waving her off. Pearl bowed low and was about to say something but when White put a finger to her lips and waved her off again, she took the hint and quickly left. White shook her head. Was she becoming too soft in her old age? By all rights that defective pearl should be shattered, but Pink adored it. She shook her head again and brought her screens back up to continue her work.

 

* * *

 

Pink woke up but didn't wish she had. She was still slightly feeling sorry for herself and didn't want to think about things. She eventually sat up and stretched and looked around the room and saw standing reverently in the far corner was Pearl.

"Pearl, have you been standing there this whole time?"

"No My Diamond," said Pearl quietly, "I have been with White Diamond for some of the time. I have only been here for a few hours."

"I'm sorry Pearl," said Pink, "you should have woken me up if you were bored." Pearl said nothing, which caught Pink off guard. She went over towards Pearl and sat on the ground to get a better view of her.

"Pearl what's wrong," she asked, "you're usually not so quiet."

"White Diamond was kind enough to tell me how a pearl should behave," Pearl said while keeping her eyes cast down, "as my prior behavior was not acceptable."

"'Not acceptable'," repeated Pink, "how?" Pearl didn't say anything and judging from her face Pink decided not to press any further. She laid down on the ground to be eye to eye with Pearl and said:

"You know Pearl, I don't care what others think. You're my pearl and I like you just the way you are, talkative and all." Pearl didn't say anything but a small smile returned to her face and she finally looked up at her. Pink smiled at her and stood back up.

"Come," she said, "let's go to the Diamond Throne Room, I would like to start being proactive with my time. It will be nice when I eventually have my own court and colonies...I feel so useless right now."

"You will soon My Diamond," said Pearl, "and if I may," she added quietly, "I think you'll be a great leader."

"I hope you're right," Pink sighed, "but let's worry about it when the time comes." When the two entered the Throne Room, Pink saw that White was busy working away on her screens but still saw that she had entered the room.

"Ah, Pink," White said as Pink made her way towards her throne, "how was your rest?"

"It was nice," said Pink, "I feel a bit better about everything too."

"About that," said White, "I contacted the peridot and asked her about the shapeshifting; it is possible but given," she paused and looked down at the chatter-mouth Pearl, "the situation it is highly difficult to do so."

"Is that so," asked Pink with hope in her voice.

"Yes, so do not feel so bad about it. The ability is there, it is just difficult to do so. Give it time," said White looking over at her, "and it will be solved soon enough." Pink smiled and nodded in agreement; she felt much better after hearing that. It was unfortunate that she would have to wait but she could be patient until then. Her attention was shifted elsewhere when she saw Blue entering the Throne Room.

"Blue," said White who sounded surprised, "I thought you were to remain on your latest colony for the next several decades?"

"I was," said Blue who sat on her throne, "but then I heard what our sister here did," she said as she pushed on Pink's shoulder, "on Homeworld and I had to come back. Really Pink, what in the cosmos were you thinking? Walking around Homeworld like that, having all those common gems looking at you, unprotected? What if some of them started," she shrugged, "crawling around you or something of the sort."

"Well actually," said Pink with a smile, "there was a training ruby squad that mistook me for a obstacle course wall. It was adorable and they were the sweetest things."

"Pink," Blue said looking her dead in the eye, "you can't go around letting common gems just...crawl around you like that. You don't know where those rubies had been. I came back to commission you a palanquin. My court can build you one in no time at all."

"Blue," said Pink, "I told you that I would have my own court build one for me when they are made."

"That could be several hundred years from now," said Blue, "and if you insist on doing such activities like this now, then I insist on doing this for you. If you don't like the way it looks, you can have your court change the way it looks later." Pink sighed, Blue wasn't going to give up on this.

"Oh, very well," sighed Pink sinking into her throne, "but I feel like you are spoiling me Blue." Blue smiled at her.

"What else are little sisters for BUT spoiling," said Blue as she smiled at her, "I remember when I was the little sister, and now it is simply my turn. It has been such fun doing it as well." They were interrupted when Blue Pearl entered the Throne Room escorting a bismuth inside. As the bismuth approached Pink noticed that it was one of the ones from the lower levels and when she was even closer she saw it was the one with the gem in her chest; the one that seemed bitter towards the diamonds.

"The requested bismuth, My Diamond." said Blue Pearl in her hushed voice, then she took her place at the right side of Blue Diamond's throne. Bismuth kneeled and saluted Blue and with her eyes cast down she said:

"How may I serve you, My Diamond?"

"Bismuth Facet-374Y Cut-9XE," said Blue Diamond, "out of all my bismuths', you work the hardest and fastest, yet you also display the most skill and beauty. That is why I chose you as my Head Supervisor."

"Your words humble me," said Bismuth.

"Yes," said Blue leaning back into her throne, "much better than some of those other Bismuths' who worked on the temple project. Laying down slightly crooked-cut marble or running behind schedule? I have no tolerance for such behavior in my court. You know what happens to those kind of sloppy bismuths, don't you," she asked Bismuth with amusement in her voice. Bismuth kept her eyes cast down and her face blank but Pink could see that she was beginning to grind her teeth and there was a fire growing behind her eyes.

"What do you do," asked Pink, although she already had an idea what Blue did, "please don't tell me you just simply shatter them Blue?"

"Of course," said Blue turning to her, "I will not have gems who under-perform on my court. Besides, bismuths are very easy to produce, even faster then pearls so it's no great loss." Blue turned back towards Bismuth.

"Back to the task at hand: I want you and your team to construct a palanquin for Pink Diamond," she said gazing down at Bismuth, "how fast can you and your team construct it?" Bismuth stood up and looked up at Blue and counted the variables off on her fingers.

"Given what resources we have at hand, and despite being shorthanded with crew members I currently have, and if we stopped construction on other projects, and if we worked round the clock nonstop on it," she also played into Blue's sense of aesthetic, "and if we want the palanquin to look and function properly we have to take our time in some aspects. So given that, with all the factors I would say the bare minimum time would be one years time, My Diamond."

"Have it ready in six months," said Blue flatly. Bismuth looked up at Blue in shock, she knew there was no way she could deliver what she wanted in six months with her current team of workers and have Blue Diamond pleased with the work...nothing could hardly pass under her.

"But My Diamond," she pleaded, "I currently have a bad shortage of workers and for what you ask for would require nearly double the gem power I currently have at my disposal. To build the palanquin in that short amount of time there will be-"

"I don't recall asking for your opinion," said Blue, "I gave you an order. Have it ready or suffer the-"

"Blue," interrupted Pink, "pardon the interruption but you said that bismuths' were quick and easily produced, yes?" Blue only looked over at Pink with a raised eyebrow.

"Well then," said Pink raising her hands up, "why not commission some more bismuths for her," she said gesturing towards Bismuth, "that way she would have enough workers to finish in the time you want with the quality you usually demand...I just...think," she suddenly became shy and self-aware when she noticed that everyone in the room was watching her, "that would be the most sensible thing to do." Blue's gaze slowly shifted from Pink towards Bismuth. She looked down at her and rolled her tongue inside her mouth.

"Bismuth," she finally said, "how many workers do you require to complete the palanquin in the time I desire?" Bismuth looked up at Blue Diamond in shock, not only was this a rare moment of generosity on Blue Diamonds' part but here was a very rare opportunity to get extra workers.

"I believe My Diamond, if I figure correctly," Bismuth lied, "I would require at the bare minimum thirty more high-quality bismuths." Blue Diamond curled her fists, but sighed in defeat.

"Pearl," she said not looking at anything in particular, "when you escort Bismuth back, I want you to go to my Kindergarten and have them order forty bismuths of the highest quality to be made as soon as they can. Have them report to Bismuth as soon as they emerge." Blue Pearl said nothing, only bowed low to show she had understood the order.

"Will that be adequate for you," asked Blue Diamond. Bismuth bowed low, she immediately recognized the dangerous tones in Blue's voice and knew she was treading in dangerous waters and perhaps she had pushed too far.

"More than enough," she said, "I can't thank you enough for your generosity."

"I think you should be thanking Pink Diamond," said Blue, "she is the one who spoke on your behalf and was able to sway my mind." Bismuth turned to Pink and bowed low.

"Thank you, for speaking on my behalf Pink Diamond," she said saluting her.

"It was my pleasure," said Pink with a smile who gave a nod in her direction, "I am glad I was able to help." Pink felt a warm, joyful sensation begin to radiate from her gem that soon spread throughout her abdomen. She felt that this is what she was made for; helping guide gems in solving problems like this. Sure this was a relatively small...even easily fixed one, but she had put her hand in it and she finally felt useful.

"That will be all," called out Blue as she clapped her hands together, calling the meeting to an end. Blue Pearl and Bismuth left the throne room together and as soon as they left, White Diamond quietly chuckled.

"What," quickly asked Blue glancing towards White.

"Oh Blue," said White, "you are always so hard on your gems. I wish you would learn to ease up on them sometimes. Your anger sometimes clouds your better judgment as well. You would do well to pause and listen," she said looking hard at her, "rather than speaking over others."

"I will take your advice in with consideration," said Blue lifting her head up and leaning back, "but I believe I have been managing well enough on my own now over the millennias." It was clear that Blue was starting to loose her temper.

"Very well Blue," said White as she conceded, "they are your gems after all; you run your court the way you see fit."

"I hope I didn't overstep my boundaries," said Pink to Blue, wanting to break up the tension, "I only wanted to help." Blue looked over at Pink with softer eyes and a small smile.

"Of course not," she said, "it was in all fairness a good idea. I should have come up with it myself," said Blue putting a finger to her temple, "I just can't stand gems who backtalk. She should have said she needed more workers in the first place, and it would have saved us a great deal of trouble." Pink felt like mentioning that Bismuth HAD stated she was shorthanded before that but she didn't feel like starting another fight so she simply left it at that. Suddenly there was a loud buzzing noise that came from all three of their thrones. Pink looked down and in the the left armrest of hers there was a diamond shaped device that was pulsating with yellow light and sound.

"It is the Diamond Line," said White, "Yellow Diamond is contacting all of us."

"Curious," said Blue, "she hardly ever uses it, let alone for all of us." Pink picked up the diamond-shaped device and wondered how to activate it. She quietly watched how Blue and White did theirs and then turned hers to the double yellow sides and watched as it raised up in the air to form multi-diamond shapes that formed a yellow display screen that showed Yellow Diamond on the other side.

"What can we do for you Yellow," asked White. Yellow seemed...very vexed, as if this was the last thing in the entire universe she wanted to be doing.

"I am," Yellow started, then she pursed her lips in pause and huffed, "I am requesting military assistance on Colony 29. The dominate organic lifeforms are proving to be," she pursed her lips again and grimaced, "more formidable than expected."

"Understood," said White standing up, "we will gather all our forces and will arrive on Colony 29 within the fortnight. Stay safe Yellow," with that the transmission was ended and others gently grasp their communicators, Pink nearly forgot and almost dropped hers.

"Is it really that serious," asked Pink as she placed hers back in it's spot.

"If Yellow is calling for help," said Blue standing up putting her hood back up, "it is very serious."

"Yellow has never once asked for help since her creation," said White as she walked away from her throne, "For her to do so must call for a dire situation, and I have seen her in some serious positions before. This may require all of our power. I shall order my strongest armies to gather in force,"

"As I," said Blue, "but we cannot leave Homeworld unprotected."

"Of course not," said White, "we will have to spread out our forces. We will plan out more once we learn what the situation is." The two elder diamonds left the throne room and left Pink standing alone, feeling quite helpless and useless.

 

* * *

 

A week and a half later, White, Blue and Pink were on one of White's larges warships that was leading the way of the large number armadas flying in space. The air on the ship seemed to be tense; even though they were made for such a thing, all the quarts soldiers seemed scared to be going on this mission. If the great and powerful Yellow Diamond was calling for help, then who knows what kind of horrors they were going to be facing?

"We are approaching Colony 29," called out the captain of the ship, "and will be landing near Site Zero in the next fifteen minutes."

"Have our other ships land at the neighboring sites," said White, "and have them on stand by."

"Yes, My Diamond," said the captain.

"Are you nervous," asked Blue to Pink, jarring her from her train of thought making her jump a little.

"I won't lie," said Pink with a bit of tremble in her voice, "I am. I was with Yellow for such a long time and I didn't think Yellow was scared of anything."

"She's not scared," said Blue, "she is a very wise leader who knows when to call for help."

"What about you," asked Pink, "are you scared?"

"A bit," said Blue, "I had hoped that we could have solved this with diplomacy, but Yellow assured me that it had gone 'beyond reason with these creatures, and they most likely wouldn't know pen from sword anyway.'" Pink sighed. Blue felt the long fingers of White Diamond on her shoulder and she turned up to her.

"We have arrived," she said, "come, let us get this over as soon as possible." She turned away and started to walk ahead of them. Pink couldn't help but feel that White was more cold and stiff than normal. Blue seemed to sense what Pink was thinking.

"You sense it too," whispered Blue, "about White?"

"Do you know what troubles her?"

"White has an odd disdain for sentient organic life forms," she whispered to Pink, "Yellow doesn't like organic life but White has a specific hatred for it. I am not sure as to why. She hasn't been looking forward to this mission at all."

"Don't talk about me behind my back," said White loudly, startling both Blue and Pink greatly, "and yes my hearing is quite excellent. It's true," she said stopping at the end of the hallway, looking over at the other two who were clear at the other end of it, "every bit of it. You can ask me later about it, but now we have more important matters at hand than my own prejudices." Blue and Pink shot each other sheepish glances as they both hurried along, Pink quickly picking Pearl up so she wouldn't get left behind on accident. As the three giants exited the warship, they could see the damages done to Site Zero. There were large claw marks dug deep into the buildings and some of the spaceships were damaged beyond repair. As they entered Yellow's personal headquarters, they saw that at one point, there had been a battle within the structure as there was battle damage on the walls and floors. That troubled the three as it showed how powerful the enemy was and how close they had come to their sister. Yellow was sitting in her chair looking over maps when they entered her private chambers, but stood up quickly when she saw them enter. She seemed relieved to see them.

"Thank you all for coming," Yellow said as she approached the three and stood tall and proud, "I trust you saw the damage on your way in?"

"Yes," said Blue as she lowered her hood, "I'm just glad your bodyguards were able to protect you from harm."

"My guards were shattered," said Yellow glancing away knowing it would worry Blue, "I had to defend myself in the end. Come, let me show you what we are up against." Yellow went to her chair and sat down while the other diamonds sat down in the other provided chairs. Yellow pushed a button that activated a holograph of a bipedal reptilian-like creature.

"This thing is called a gastroulth. It doesn't look intelligent at all, but it has the ability to communicate complex language, opposable thumbs and has a somewhat advanced social society for what we were expecting. They have been able to construct swords and shields out of metal and have been able to use the land to their full advantage when it comes to combat."

"We have come across species more advanced than this before Yellow," said White, "ones that have already mastered high speed projectile weaponry, why are these lizards giving you such a hard time?"

"Look," said Yellow, as she showed a size comparison chart. A gastroulth compared to a normal gem was large, nearly twenty feet tall. If stood side by side to a diamond, it stood half way up their thighs.

"Even at their size," said White, "a fusion of two or three amethysts would be able to match the size of it."

"That's not the problem," said Yellow, who was starting to loose her patience with White, "do you see the snout of gastroulth," she said enhancing the image of the head of it. They all looked at it and Yellow showed an image of one with it's mouth open, showing all it's flat broad teeth.

"Look at it's teeth," she said waiving her arms in frustration, "my organic life form experts tell me that these teeth were 'not made to rip meat when they were evolving', that they were made for another purpose. Guess what that was," she said putting her head in her hands as she played a video of a battle. The video showed the outside of the headquarters as several groups of guards fused into five mega fusions, but they were quickly outnumbered by the gastroulth and even then it didn't matter. The gastroulth's jumped onto the fusions, found the gemstones on the fusions and bit onto the gems, instantly crushing the gems, causing the fusions to destabilize and fall apart. In the confusion, the gastroulths would pick up the smaller gems and poof them and bite the gemstones before they could re-fuse or would simply repeat the same thing if another fusion would form. Soon all the gems were shattered, leaving only the victorious gastroulths behind as they raised their weapons in victory and cried out in joy. The three diamonds were in shock.

"The damn things are designed to chew through rocks," said Yellow, "and they've learned that all they have to do is find the gemstones on fusions to break them apart. They also learned that the body of a gem doesn't matter, it's the gemstone that does. They are taking out our structures and pushing back our forces, and...they are winning."

"Did they try the same thing with you," whispered Blue who was in shock.

"They did," said Yellow, "I fought them off for ten minutes, luckily I was still much stronger than they were. It took me forever to wash off all the blood those filthy things left on me. After I was properly cleaned off, I contacted you three."

"This is more serious than I thought," said White as she folded her hands and placed them near her face in deep thought, "if we attack them directly, we risk loosing all of our gems. Have we discovered any physical weaknesses with the species?"

"No," said Yellow, "when the original scouting group first surveyed the planet, the species went completely unknown for the first twenty years."

"How is that possible," asked Blue, to which Yellow slammed her arms down on the table and barked out:

"It just is, alright! Mistakes were made and now we're paying the consequences!"

"Calm down," said White who put her hand up, "we will find a solution soon, for now we play this out smart. We begin by covering the gems with armor," said White as she stood up, "we will play the organics game of covering their bodies with armor with armor of our own. If they do not know where to bite the gemstones, then that will give our soldiers a fighting chance."

"But what about the fusions," asked Pink.

"We will have assigned fusions who will stay fused at all times," said White as she walked around the group, "who will have custom armor made for them as well. If any gem is not wearing any armor they are NOT to attack them. Until we discover a better way of dealing with these," she looked at the hologram of the gastroulth and glared at it, "beasts...we will play smarter, not harder. These things also seem to know that Yellow is the leader, so we need to make sure that we have our own gems protected."

"Do you really think that they could be capable of shattering one of us," asked Yellow with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

"I would not put anything past an organic," said White as she left the room, "I have seen organics do things that I would have never comprehended them capable of doing." The three remaining diamonds only looked at each other.

 

* * *

 

Several weeks later and the armies had been properly outfitted. All the gems had been suited up, although many of them had complained about how the armor felt on their bodies. One thing that even the diamonds could agree on was how uncomfortable covering their gems were. Blue and Yellow Diamond wore breast plates that covered their gems and they constantly scratched at where their gems were. White wore a helmet and she looked like she wanted to throw the thing as far as she could. Pink wore something called a plackart that she absolutely hated as she could hardly bend forward with it. She would constantly fight with the stupid thing.

Despite being in a war zone she had grown a fascination with the surrounding greenery of the area. She knew not to wander too far from the safe zones but the so called 'plant life' of the planet was something that she had never seen in person before. The texture and smells of them were something completely...well...alien to her and she found herself wanting to surround herself with them. She would go out, pick several of the tiny things called flowers and place them in a water-filled container and place them in her private chamber until they would eventually wither away. The other diamonds, including her own pearl thought it was odd that she would wish to have such things in her room but it delighted her to have them. She also wished she could be of some use in this war somehow, but she didn't feel particularly brave or warrior-like...she wasn't even sure what her gem weapon even was...she couldn't probably even summon it with the stupid plackart blocking her gem.

There had been several battles with gastroulths, and even with the added armor, their numbers were suffering. The gastroulths were masters of stealth and ambushes, and would plan out their attacks in advance. Their strange language was hard for their best language decoders to adequately find a proper translation of it as it had a strange mix of hisses and clicks in it so they sill had no idea what they were even saying to eachother.

"What are you thinking about, My Diamond," asked Pearl as she stood at attention.

"I fear that we simply don't know enough about our enemy in order to win this war Pearl," she said turning to her, "and it's because we have simply underestimated them because they are organic. I feel if we had taken the time to understand what makes them function better," she said, "or better yet come to an understanding, we could have avoided this war in the first place."

"How would you come to better understand such creatures, My Diamond," asked Pearl, "it's not like we are organics."

"That is true," said Pink, "but I have been thinking of ways of better understanding them. I don't plan on doing it now in the war zone but perhaps after the war I would like too experiment with something." She looked over at her wilting flowers and decided she needed to replace them.

"Pearl, I'm going to go out and pick some more flowers," she said standing up, "stay here until I return, you will be safer here in my chambers."

"As you wish," said Pearl, truth be told she didn't wish to go out to be with those monsters anyway. Pink walked outside and as soon as she did, her assigned group of gems stood up and saluted her and she smiled down at them.

"Wanting to go pick more flowers again Pink Diamond," asked Fire Agate, who was Yellow Diamond's most prized agate and was asked to personally watch Pink by Yellow herself, "you have such a strange fascination with those things."

"You already know me too well," said Pink with a small chuckle, "I think there is a nice patch of them near the south side of Site Zero that I haven't cleared out yet."

"Well, if I may My Diamond," said Fire Agate who was itching to be more useful to the war effort than to just pick flowers, "perhaps we may go...further into the jungle with a scouting group? I know Yellow Diamond wished me to watch you but...I wish to be more useful for the war effort...don't you wish the same, My Diamond," she asked as she saluted her. Fire Agate was very good at talking anyone into doing what she willed, and she could tell she had guilt tripped Pink into considering it.

"Well," said Pink as she gazed over the group of gems who in the end she was responsible for their safety, "I suppose we could go a bit deeper into the jungle, but only for a little distance."

"Do not worry My Diamond," said Fire Agate, "I will gather the required team of scouts and let the other diamonds know what we are doing," she said, "it will be fine." As Pink walked away with some of her gems, one of the jaspers stayed behind and asked:

"are you really going to ask Our Diamond permission to take Pink Diamond into the unexplored heart of the Jungle?"

"You think I'm mad," barked Fire Agate, "it will be just a simple in and out excursion and we'll be back before we're missed."

"Dammit you are mad if you think that's a good idea," said Jasper, "we're in a war zone surrounded by giant lizards that chew through gemstones like...like...like they eat them regularly and if you get the new diamond shattered-"

"Relax," said Fire Agate, "I have been with Yellow Diamond since her first colony, and I have been in tougher situations than this. I need some action," she said, "and I am not getting it by picking organic plants all day long. I will protect Pink Diamond as if she were Yellow Diamond herself," she said punching Jasper hard in the arm, "and you honestly think I wouldn't think of the possibility of an attack? I will bring along a diamond flare and a beacon just in case."

Soon the party was on their way in the jungle, Pink was having the worst time of it though...having to shift through the taller plants called trees. She had to make a very awkward excuse as well when one of the gems suggest that she should simply shapeshift into a smaller form to avoid the trees. Thankfully she came up with a good one, saying she wished that she wanted to keep an eye out for gastroulths and being the tallest, made her the best one to do so. Even Fire Agate said it was a good idea. As they walked, Pink couldn't help but feel paranoid as if they were being watched.

"Fire Agate," she finally said as they were coming close to a clearing, "I think we should turn back, I think we're being watched and followed."

"Are you sure," she asked getting her weapon out, Pink Diamond was young but a diamond's intuition was rarely wrong.

"I'm sure," said Pink as she scanned the horizon again, "I think we've been followed for the past mile and they're encircling us."

"Alright troops," said Fire Agate, "change of plans, we withdrawal back to Site Zero. Guard Pink Diamond with your life, stay together and do not let them separate us. If we shatter, we shatter for the glory of our diamonds." They started to turn around and make their way back towards Site Zero, but as they continued, Pink could hear them approaching closer.

"They're starting their attack," said Pink, "I think there's six of them."

"and there's twenty of us and a diamond," said a cocky rookie amethyst, "we should have this down."

"Don't be so sure rookie," said Fire Agate cracking her fire whip, "I've lost some good comrades I've known since the day I emerged. Keep your guard up!" That's when the attack hit. It was so sudden that three gems were instantly shattered. Pink Diamond was tackled from behind by three of them, but they did not knock her down. They bit her form hard, and she felt sharp blades and claws stabbing her form as they tried their best to poof her, but even they seemed surprised that their blades and claws had no affect on her. It didn't stop it from hurting her though. She swung her arm and managed to throw one of them hard and fast into a larger tree and it fell hard to the ground and did not move again afterwards. The second one crawled around to her front and tried to scratch at her face while the other one tried to buckle her legs by biting one of her knees. She grabbed at the one creatures' snout that was biting her knee and she gripped it tightly and there was a disgusting crunch and then a warm sticky sensation on her hand. The creature hollered out in pain and tried to worm away but Pink picked it up by it's broken snout and tossed it high into the air and over into the canopy. The third creature wisely jumped off of Pink and backed away, reevaluating it's situation. It called out and began to talk to it's fellow creatures and they in turn stop their attack on the other gems. Then they took off towards the Jungle in retreat.

"We won," called out the rookie amethyst jumping in the air for joy.

"But at what cost," said Fire Agate, who unsummoned her weapon and began to bubble the shards of the fallen gems, "we lost eight good gems today. Not to mention that I am in a heap of trouble."

"You're not Fire Agate," said Pink Diamond as she studied the sticky blue substance on her hand, "I am the one who ordered this. When the time comes for answers, I am the one who is responsible for those shattered gems. What is this anyway," she asked as she tried to wave off the blue blood.

"That is blood," said Fire Agate, "we will find a water source for you to wash it off. Let's hurry and bubble the shattered and move out before they regroup." Pink Diamond walked over to the still gastroulth by the tree and squatted near it. It wasn't breathing, and she knew from her reading that all organics required constant breathing in order to live. So this one wasn't alive anymore? Why hadn't it retreated into it's...what DO organics retreat into? She moved it's head around. It was still warm, but the neck didn't move quite right. She picked it up and cradled it in her arms and looked down at it. It looked...peaceful, like it was asleep in her arms. She almost found it charming, if it hadn't only tried to shatter her moments earlier.

"What are you doing My Diamond," asked Fire Agate.

"We need to study these creatures," said Pink as she walked over towards the group, "and now we finally have a specimen to do so. The gem's who were shattered here were not done so in vain." Fire Agate seemed relieved in hearing this, she also seemed to gain new found respect for Pink Diamond and gave a grave nod of approval.

"Let us return to Site Zero," ordered Pink sadly. As they walked back with the bubbled gem shards and dead gastroulth in hand, the only thing Pink could think about was all she had wanted to do was to pick some flowers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol got lazy with the fight scene, will do better with the next one~


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi my dear readers, sorry this chapter took so long to write but it's the longest chapter I've ever written and...eh just didn't feel it some days. Also this is a WARNING of some Odontophobia here so...yep there's your warning wee~
> 
> *It has come to my attention due to my stupidity that I uploaded a older draft of the chapter, so I've been correcting some spelling errors that were still there, but please tell me know if you see any.*

Pink Diamond knew she would be in some form of trouble when she was to report her excursion in the jungle and the gastroulth attack but she didn't have any idea just how angry the others were going to be. She and Fire Agate where standing in Yellow's office with the dead gastroulth's body on her desk while the other diamonds stared down at it. Fire Agate had just finished explaining what had happened and how many gems had been shattered and both were waiting for the other diamonds response. White seemed to be studying the lizard quietly but Blue refused to look at the carcass, covering her mouth and nose with her handkerchief in revulsion. Yellow had her back towards everyone the entire time, looking out the window and had quietly listened to the story. Finally, she turned around and glared down at Fire Agate.

"I expected better from one of my elite gems," said Yellow, "you, out of all of my gems should have known the dangers and risks in order to obtain," she glared down at the agate, "something of no value what so ever. If this little war wasn't so critical Fire Agate, I would shatter you where you stand, do I make myself clear? I still might consider it after this situation is over."

"Yes My Diamond," said Fire Agate at full attention, covering the shame she felt.

"You have served me for millenniums faithfully and flawlessly," Yellow continued, "that is some of your saving grace...that and this...thing you brought back with you. If you ever," she leaned low towards Fire Agate, "and I do mean ever, go behind my back again without informing me of what you are doing, you wish I would have the mercy of shattering you. You are dismissed." Fire Agate saluted the diamonds and left the office quickly. Pink sighed, thankful that Yellow was overall merciful towards Fire Agate and was about to say something but before she could even get a word out, she felt Yellow's hand slap her across her face.

"Yellow," cried out Blue as she stood up.

"You stupid little-," fumed Yellow as she shook Pink once by her shoulders, "what were you thinking going into the jungle without telling us?!"

"Fire Agate told me that she was going to tell you," Pink said, she was slightly shocked from being slapped by Yellow. Yellow let her go and turned around and slapped the dead gastroulth's head as she walked past and looked out the window.

"That's not a very good excuse Pink," Blue finally said, "you shouldn't have gone in the first place. We're in a war zone."

"I...I know that," Pink said.

"This isn't a game," said White, "lives are at risk, yours included. What would have happened if you were shattered? Those creatures knew you were the bigger threat and they focused their forces on you, you were lucky that your anomaly was a boon this one time. It mayn't be so in the future," White walked over to the dead creature and looked down at it, "at least we have this now. We will send the body back to Homeworld with the one warp pad we have working and have our scientists figure out any weaknesses." Pink walked over to the desk and put her hand on the body and then quickly removed it, then put it back on it.

"it's cold," she mumbled.

"What," asked Yellow.

"It as grown cold," said Pink louder, "when I carried it in, it was warm but now it's cold. Why?"

"It's dead," said White, "that's what happens when they are dead."

"When it reforms," asked Pink, "will it become warm again?" White looked at her and raised her eyebrows but kept her eyes in their tired gaze.

"No," said White as she left the room, "dead is dead, as all organics should be."

"Dead," repeated Pink quietly as she tried to lift the gastroulth's arm but found it very stiff and it resisted her attempt.

"Yes, dead. It is like," Yellow finally said, "how when a gem is shattered. This creature is a shattered being, it's not asleep. It will not 'come back' or 'wake up'. It is gone forever. It is dead." Pink dropped the arm and looked down at the creature and then up at Yellow.

"You mean," she finally said, "I did the equivalent of shattering a gem to this gastroulth?"

"Don't feel to bad," said Yellow picking the body up, "it was trying to the same to you and this thing would have eventually died on it's own anyway. I am taking this thing to the warp pad," she said walking out of the office, "I should be back in a few hours." Blue watched Yellow walk out then looked over at Pink. She was surprised that she looked so suddenly distraught.

"What is wrong," she asked her, "does it really trouble you so to learn that you killed that creature in self defense?" Pink looked at her but only shrugged in response. Blue pulled her into a hug and said:

"You are not a worse gem in doing so," she told her, "and I will not lie, there will be much more death in the future. We are diamonds, that is our way."

"To shatter," asked Pink who sounded emotionally jaded. Blue stopped her embrace and looked her in the eye and said with her hand under her chin.

"To expand our empire; to reach out into the stars and colonize as what Yellow is doing on this planet. Death is part of it, but with death comes renewal and the reward of the new colony. You will understand more when you begin your own colony." Pink nodded but didn't seem fully convinced.

"I think I would like to go to my chambers," she told Blue, who nodded and followed Pink out of the office with her. Pink made her way back to her chamber and entered it but was surprised when she could smell fresh flowers. She looked and saw that Pearl was putting the finishing touches on the last of the bouquets she had arranged around the room. Pearl looked up at her and smiled softly but knew something must have gone on, knowing her Diamond had come in so late.

"Pearl," she said looking around the room, "you did all this while I was away?"

"Well," said Pearl quietly, "you were gone for so long, and then they said you went into the jungle and well," she said with a awkward chuckle. The conversation died and both gems just let it stay dead. Pink gently petted Pearl's head in appreciation and simply sat in her chair as there was no bed in her room, but somehow managed to fall asleep curling up in the chair.

 

* * *

 

It was two days later when the gastroulth came into Site Zero. The gastroulth stout entered the camp slowly, waving in it's hand something. All gems on site surrounded it and it hissed and growled but made no attempts to attack or defend itself. The diamonds came out and saw the scout surrounded by their gems. The scout saw the diamonds and then started to talk in it's strange language waving whatever it had in it's hand.

"Stand down," said White as soon as she saw what the creature was trying to do, "that creature is trying to deliver us a message. Clear a path for it." The gem soldiers did as commanded, but kept their weapons out. The gastroulth was very cautious but began to slowly approach the leaders, with Yellow acting as the middleman. As soon as it was in arm's reach of her it stretched it's arm out to deliver the message and Yellow accepted the parchment.

"Parchment," mumbled Yellow as she backed away slowly as did the gastroulth, "such an archaic and barbaric form of communication." She handed the parchment to White and all four diamonds looked at the parchment; it had pictures on it.

"Simple beasts," mumbled White, "they know we don't read their language so they're using pictures."

"What do they want?" asked Pink.

"I assume by this," said White who looked at the pictures, "they want a battle with us," she said pointing to four crude colored depictions of them standing with their gem soldiers, "with their own leaders," she said pointing to another picture with them, "in a large area by the mountain that I think is to the west of us."

"Should we agree to it," whispered Blue, "I am not one to normally fight."

"I am afraid we must," whispered White, "if we say no, we will look weak to our gems and the enemy will know we are afraid to fight."

"And why would we be," whispered Yellow, "with all four of us, we can easily defeat these lizards."

"I would rather have our trump card of knowing what they are weak against," said White, "but our hand is forced. Agree to the fight." White said the last part out loud for the gems to hear. The cheered in agreement, causing the gastroulth to jump in surprise and pull out a dagger thinking they were going to attack it. Yellow looked up at the creature and nodded in agreement. The creature nodded showing it understood and then pointed to the sun and then held up three of it's digits.

"Three days," said Yellow to the creature who also held up three of her fingers, "is when I will wipe your troublesome race off of my colony." The creature grunted and then turned tail and took toward the jungle.

"Fire Agate," said Yellow turning to her, "ready our forces, and have an armada of ships on stand by in orbit ready to bomb the battle ground and surrounding jungle if need be," she looked over at the jungle, "I grow tired of this war and if I loose the resources of this area then so be it." Fire Agate saluted and went off to do as ordered. Yellow walked back toward where the other diamonds were standing and gave them a very confident smile.

"I believe this war will be soon won," she said. White only hummed in mild agreement as she turned away, causing Yellow's smile to wane. As soon as they were back inside Yellow's headquarters and alone did Blue finally show how unsure she was about the upcoming fight.

"I normally defuse these sort of situations," she said to White, "I am most certainly not a fighter White."

"Don't worry Blue," she said to her, "if you don't wish to participate in the fight then stay in the back, but be there for the moral of our gems. It is important we remain strong in their eyes," she said turning to her, "that might mean getting your hands a bit dirty Blue." Blue huffed but she knew White was right as much as she despised fighting for herself she would have to do some.

"How will we access our weapons," asked Pink as she removed her plackart, "our armor prevents our gems from accessing theirs as well?"

"We will not summon our weapons," said Yellow, "to do so will show weakness to our gems. We only summon our weapons in the most dire of situations."

"Isn't that not only foolish but vain," asked Pink, "we _are_ in a dire-" She stopped talking when Yellow glared hard at her.

"I would hardly calling this fight with these lizards 'dire'. These creatures made a tactical error invoking us to fight them."

"That," said Pink, "or they have a strategy we may not have thought about. They're not stupid Yellow, sure they're organic and don't live long," she said looking over at the other two, "but that doesn't mean that they can't come up with ideas that can beat us. After all, look how far they have come. They've managed this far on their own."

"You give our enemy too much credit," said Yellow.

"And perhaps you not enough," mumbled Pink, but she said it loud enough that Yellow heard it. She turned to her and folded her arms.

"You are out of line," said Yellow low, "this is my colony and I have millenniums of experience, you have a century and no colony and no gems yet of your own. I can safely say that I know what I am doing, can you do the same?" Pink could feel her face flush with anger and embarrassment, but Yellow did have a point.

"This is true," said Pink quietly, "but that doesn't mean what I said doesn't hold true either. You need to take these creatures more seriously Yellow or they very well may shatter one of us...I think that's their plan. Why else have all four of us together?" Yellow went to say something, but paused as she considered Pinks' words.

"Perhaps," she finally said, "you do have a point. These things do appear to be gambling on this fight. We will take extra persuasions and have weapons at our sides," said Yellow, "but we will not summon ours. As I said, it would look weak to our gems to do so; White will agree with me," she said turning to her, "won't you?" White, who's right hand's two fingers were resting on her temple either in reflection or because she had a headache simply hummed and nodded. Yellow smiled and puffed up a bit with that.

"As I told you," she said turning back to Pink, "so please put your fears to rest; we have a fight to prepare for so rest up and we will meet on the battle field." Pink looked at White who simply walked out of the room followed by Yellow. Blue slowly left the room but gave a quick glance at her, showing that she shared her unease of the whole affair. There was nothing more to do though but do as Yellow said and wait for the day to arrive. Pink grabbed her hated plackart and made her way back to her private chambers to wait and hope that this would somehow work out in the end.

 

* * *

 

The day arrived and it seemed that the gems were the first to arrive on the battle field. The diamonds stood in the back looking around for the enemy but they still weren't coming.

"They never did say _when_ they were arriving," pointed out Blue, "it is barely even dawn."

"They will show," said White, "have patience." The gem army started to grow restless, the agates had to keep the troupes in line as they waited. Fire Agate was still at the Diamonds' side, still under Yellow's orders to stay with Pink. Then they could hear something approaching, causing the army to fall silent and the gems awkwardly summoned their weapons and the fusions readied themselves. The gastroulth's leaders were the first to appear. It was no surprise to learn to the diamonds that the leaders were larger than the other gastroulths. It only seemed natural. They were of course nowhere near as tall as they were. Pink figured that one could easily stare directly at her gem if it wished to do so, but from their distance it was hard to figure. The army was directly behind them, all hissing and growling with weapons and spears and it looked to appear that they had some sort of domesticated hunting animals with them. The largest of the gastroulth leaders walked out a bit further and pointed its weapon toward the diamonds and started to speak to its army in it's strange language and seemed to sneer at them and the army laughed and cheered . Yellow scowled at it.

"I don't need to speak it's language to know what it's saying," she mumbled quietly, "it saying we're cowards for being in the back."

"Ignore it," said White, "our gems don't know that and we don't need to prove a thing to it." However the gastroulth caught the look in Yellow's eye and with it's claw beckoned her forward as it tried it's version of a grin.

"Start the attack," said Yellow down to Fire Agate, "I've had enough of that smug lizard."

"Gems," Yelled out Fire Agate, "begin formation!" The gastroulth leaders also started to call out to their own army and they too started to form their own formations. The largest one seemed to be picking out which diamond it would be taking on, it's tongue flicking out to taste the air.

"Ruby squad one, two, three and four," called out Fire Agate, "move forward!" The little rubys did as commanded and charged forward and made themselves a living barrier. The leaders of the gastroulth army looked down and seemed disgusted. The second leader pointed down and shook it's head in what appeared to be pity. The third leader looked back and waved it's spear in the air, a sign for the army to advance out of the jungle and charge it seemed. The wall of rubies stood in wait, but it seemed that their fate was sealed. The gastroulth army was charging fast with the leaders at the head of the charge.

"Foolish creatures," said White, "do they honestly think that this frontal assault will work?"

"Attack," ordered Yellow. The gem army roared and ran forward. Pink when to charge as well but was caught back by White.

"We don't need to fight just yet," she said, "we will only intervene if we need to." Pink looked at her but did as she was told and stood back up and watched as the gem army ran bravely towards the advancing army of the gastroulths. When the armies were mid way from each other, the forth leader of the gastroulth roared out a command of some sort and that is when all hell broke loose. Form the all sides of the field, hidden in dug out holes covered by woven blankets of grass popped up hidden gastroulth soldiers with strange weapons. They fired the weapons that shot out spheres that were spewing out a thick fog that quickly covered the fighting field and before the two armies had even met the fighting field had zero visibility.

"What is this," called out Yellow as she raged over the fact that she couldn't see what was happening. The fog had made it's way over to where the diamonds were standing and they could barely see where each other was standing. Then they could hear the armies clashing and the cries of their gems as the gastroulth army was clearly decimating them.

"Move out," called out White as she grabbed her long sword that was made for her, "and keep your guard up." Yellow grabbed her battle ax and charged into the fog. Pink had a gladiator sword, but she slowly made her way into the fog. She didn't know were the others where and she couldn't see a thing she could only hear the cried of gems and gastroulth alike. Meanwhile the leaders of the gastroulth army were slowly making their way towards the diamonds. They didn't need to use their eyes, they simply let their heat sensing pits organs by their noses guide them. They had learned that the invaders magical stones emitted heat and even if covered they could still see that heat and the giants were giving out the largest amount of heat. The strongest of the gastroulth leaders had bravely volunteered to take on the strongest of the invading leaders, and he had determined that the greatest amount of heat must equate to strength; so he searched as he took out several gems with a stomp or a swipe of his tail. Finally he seemed to find his target. Seeing a glowing heat-source far brighter than the others as it hovered in the air. He readied his blade and made a silent prayer; to give him strength to quickly take out this foe so he could help take out another one and drive off the invaders.

Pink blindly searched for anything, but it seemed she could only stumble on fallen bodies of gastroulths that must have been taken out by one of her sisters or feeling shards of gems beneath her feet. The gems seemed to be trying to move the fighting away from the fog as she never seemed to find it. Then from the fog came a roar and then right on top of her was the largest gastroulth leader as it fell on top of her and knocked her down. It went right for her plackart and tried to rip it off. She started to stand back up but the creature wrapped its tail around her leg and managed to slip her leg out from under her causing her to kneel down. She knew if it got her plackart off she would be at risk, so she had no other choice but to try to use her sword. She took a swipe at the gastroulth but it was already prepared for her clumsy attack and blocked it with its own sword. She tried again to stand up but it kept pushing her down as it tried it's best to rip off her armor. Suddenly one of its eyes was nearly whipped out by a fire whip, causing it to cry out in surprise and step off of Pink finally letting her stand back up.

"Don't let it knock you back down My Diamond," called out Fire Agate. The gastroulth looked down at Fire Agate and flicked its tongue out in irritation but otherwise ignored her, turning its attention back towards Pink. It readied its weapon and charged her, then surprised her again when she tried swinging her sword at it, it dodged the blow and went to her back and lept on it. It was once again trying to take off her plackart only this time from the back, with one hand painfully gripping her hair. Pink tried her best to swing the creature off her back, but it wrapped its tail around one of her legs so it made it hard to buck it off. Finally she managed to grab one of its arms but then it just simply crawled around her as she tried to throw it off. However unbeknownst to both of them Pink had managed to wrestle with the creature near the edge of the field that happened to be at a deep incline and when she went to throw it and it clinging onto her, both fell down the hill away from the battle.

Both Pink and the gastroulth embraced each other as they rolled down the hill but eventually the momentum of their decent separated the two as they went down the hill. The world was a dizzying whirl as both spun out of control, then there was a brief pause as they fell into a underground cavern and then a painful landing as they both landed around the same time. Not one moved for some time, but eventually Pink moaned as she moved to lift herself up. She looked around and had no idea where they had fallen too or where the battle was. Looking up she could see that the fall was a long one, even for her. She rolled to her back and sat up and saw that her plackart was gone. Deciding it must have come off during all that rolling around she slowly stood up and she examined her gem; it was smeared with grass stains but it was perfectly fine. She looked over at the gastroulth leader and saw it wasn't moving or appeared to be breathing. It was on its' back with its arms spread out about fifty feet from her. She walked over to it and looked down at it. She couldn't tell if it was dead or not so she bent down lower to make sure.

Suddenly its' eyes shot open and it wrapped its' arms quickly around her as its mouth made its way toward her gem. She felt it press deep into her and then its' teeth latch tightly onto her gem. She realized that it had faked its death to trick her and now it had her gem in its powerful jaws and it was going to shatter her right here. She closed her eyes when she felt it start to bite down, felt a singe of pain and felt and heard a crunching sensation. The gastroulth suddenly let her go and pushed her off and she fell backwards clutching her gem thinking it was cracked. She moved her hand and looked down expecting to see it cracked but there was only blue blood and broken bits of teeth over her hands and stomach. She looked up and saw that the creature was holding its muzzle with both hands, but then looked up at her and as it sneered at her, its' front top and bottom teeth were broken and bleeding. Her gem must have been too hard for it. It spat out more of it's own blood and teeth and stood back up. It didn't look nearly as confident as it did before, but it reached for a side knife it had at its' leg and pulled it out.

The leader charged her with a roar but Pink who didn't know where her sword was summoned whatever her gem weapon was. She was hoping for another sword or a spear or something but when the creature ran into a diamond shaped shield...she was extremely disappointed.

"I need something offensive, not defensive right now," she said out loud as she lifted the creature over her head and behind her. The creature landed on its' feet and kept its' attack up, trying to get past her shield but Pink would only move it to where it would try to strike. Eventually she had enough and finally charged forward while the creature was on her shield and tried to drive it into the wall. He saw this and leapt off the shield right before the impact. With Pink distracted, it grabbed her from behind and tried to pick her up; it did but then found her far too heavy to finish the move it was trying to perform on her and he ended up having to abandon the attempt. It let her go and jumped away, but lifting her had exhausted it. Pink looked at it and saw this. The creature was fighting as best as it could even though it was exhausted. She dismissed her shield and slowly approached it.

"You can't win like this," she tried telling it, "you're just going to-" but was cut off when the gastroulth tackled her as hard as it could and when it had her on the ground, it grabbed a rock and started slamming it on her gem. He had to break the magic rock, it was his only way of surviving this. She pushed the creature off, but was stunned from the repeated blows on her gem. The gastroulth stood back up and saw she was still laying there and this was his chance, so he grabbed another rock when he felt another whip on his hand. He looked down and hissed when he saw a small gem distracting him. It was Fire Agate who had managed to follow them down the deep incline and had climbed down into the cavern. She whipped at the giant lizard again, she had to distract it so Pink Diamond could recover from those blows.

"Over here you overgrown brute," she called out as she ran around it trying to get it to follow her, "come get me!" She kept whipping it and eventually it did get annoyed enough at her, but instead of following her like she wanted, it threw the rock that it was holding which was more like a boulder to her. It was too fast for her to dodge in time and she took the full impact of the boulder. She rolled from the hit and tried to get up but her form was flickering in and out. She looked down at her gemstone on her chest and saw it was severely cracked. However it did give Pink Diamond enough time to recover from the rock blows and she grabbed the gastroulth by the tail. She was more than done with this fight. She swung it into a pile of rocks, then smack it into the wall then spun it around over her head and slammed it onto the ground. She looked down at it as it gasped and panted in pain. The fight was over. She let go of it's tail and went over to Fire Agate and gently picked her up.

"Are you alright," she asked her. Fire Agate chuckled, but was clearly in pain.

"Hardly," she said as her form kept flickering in and out, "but that doesn't matter as long as you are well, My Diamond." Pink was about to say something else when she heard the gastroulth stand back up. She looked over at it and gently put Fire Agate down. The creature was trying to stand strait but it clearly was struggling. It went for its discarded knife and it fell down, but then struggled back up.

"You can't win," said Pink quietly, "not in your condition. I...I don't want to kill you." The creature charged one last time and tried to tackle her, but it simply collapsed into her arms more than anything. It still tried to go for her gemstone though, but she simply took the knife away and pushed it back down on the ground. It hissed in pain and clutched at it's arm. Looking at it, she saw that it was hanging down at an odd angle.

"It's over," she finally said at it. It glared up at her, but then the fight seemed to drain from its eyes and it simply hung its head. Pink then turned her attention back to Fire Agate, who was struggling to keep her form.

"Here," said Pink, "this might hurt for a second, but I'm going to dissipate your form and bubble you until we get back to Site Zero."

"T-Tell," Fire Agate struggled to say "Yel-low Diamo-nd it w-as an ho-nor to se-rve her f-for me."

"I will," said Pink, "But you can tell her later when you reform." With that she pinched Fire Agate around her middle and she dissipated into nothing and Pink quickly caught her gemstone and bubbled it as soon as she could. The gemstone wouldn't crack any further within the bubble but looking at it it was near shattering.

"Just in time," mumbled Pink. As she looked up at the cavern mouth she decided she could climb out of it. She turned toward the gastroulth leader and was surprised at what she saw. It was writing in a book, but it looked incredibly sad as it did so. She walked over to it and it looked up and actually flinched at her, but when she made no attempts to stop it, it continued to write. She was more fascinated at the strange writing than anything and the fact that they did have a written language. Finally the creature finished what it wanted to write and looked down at the book sadly, then from behind its armor that was wrapped around its neck it pulled out a necklace. It looked down at the wooden carving and it made a quiet noise. Then it ripped the necklace off and it took the dagger it had tried to fight with, the book and the broken necklace and tied the three together and then gave her a strange look. She couldn't help but approach the creature and kneel down next to it and wonder what exactly was going on. It then looked pleadingly at her and reached over the strange bundle toward her.

"You want me to have this," she asked it. It had no idea what she was saying, but it started talking to her through broken teeth and jaw and waving the bundle at her. She took it and looked down at it and then at the creature. It seemed it wanted her to keep it, so she nodded and she phased a pouch on her lower appearance modifier on the left leg and tucked it into it. The creature seemed a little relieved but it still looked defeated. She picked it up, trying not to hurt it any further than it already was and tucking Fire Agate's bubble into the new pouch she started her way out of the cavern and back toward the battle ground.

 

* * *

 

It was about an hour when Pink found her way back to the battle ground and when she reached it, it appeared that Homeworld was victorious. There were scorch markings and the smell of fire and electricity was still in the air. The creature on her back made a mournful moan when it saw that they had lost the battle but then remained quiet. The diamonds smiled and seemed very glad to see Pink well and unshattered.

"We were wondering where you had gone too," said Blue, "when the fog had cleared we looked everywhere for you."

"I was knocked down a embankment into a cavern with this creature," she said gently putting it down, "we had our battle down there. It put up a terrific fight."

"Your gem," cried out Blue who was looking at the dried up blood and bits of teeth that were still on her, "did that thing actually get a hold of you?"

"It did," Pink admitted, "but it broke its teeth on it. It's fine, I already looked at it."

"I'll finish breaking the rest of it's teeth," said Yellow as she approached the downed gastroulth, "and thank you for leaving it for me to finish off."

"Yellow it can't fight anymore," Pink said, "it's helpless."

"All the better. The other leaders are already dead, so this one is the last," she turned to it and picked it up by its neck and lifted it up to her eye level.

"Where's your smug attitude now lizard," she asked it, "now that I have your miserable race all but-" she stopped talking when the gastroulth spat blood and flecks of broken teeth in her face and spat what could only be guessed to be something derogatory in it's language. Yellow only glared at it and clenched her hand, snapping it's neck and it instantly went limp in her arm. She then tossed it to the ground and walked back towards the other diamonds.

"That was annoying," she said wiping the blood and bone off her face, "it didn't even let me have a satisfying victory." Yellow then looked down in Pink's hand and saw the bubbled Fire Agate.

"What happened to Fire Agate," she said as she took the bubble and looked at the gem inside.

"She followed us down and she distracted the gastroulth for me at one point when I was stunned," said Pink quietly, "but was struck by a boulder from it. It cracked her gem, we need to heal it as soon as we can." Yellow looked down at it solemnly.

"There is nothing we can do for her," she said, "there is no known method of healing cracked gems, you know this Pink." Pink was about to say something, but she had skipped so many small parts in her reading that there was a strong possibility she didn't realize that.

"Is there nothing to be done for her," she said, "she was cracked because of me, and she told me to to tell you that 'it was an honor serving you', so...there has to be something we can do for her! It is my fault that she is damaged."

"There's nothing we can do," said Yellow who popped the bubble, "but give her an honorable shattering. It is the kindest thing we can do for her."

"Wait," said Pink holding back Yellow's arm, "there may not be anything now, but perhaps in the future we will have something. Please Yellow, don't shatter her. Let me hold onto her until something is found, please Yellow...there's just been so much shattering and death today." Yellow sighed and re-bubbled the agate.

"There may never be a solution Pink," she said handing the bubble back over to her, "White Diamond has done research into it nearly her whole existence so don't get your hopes up."

"Thank you," said Pink as she took the bubble in hand. As Yellow walked away, Pink walked up to the now dead gastroulth leader whom she had not only battled against but accepted a strange gift from. She felt a strange sense of pity, but also relief for it. She sighed and with the bubbled Fire Agate in hand, she walked back toward her fellow diamonds to join in the victory of Homeworld.

 

* * *

 

After the battle was won and the three diamonds were ready to return to Homeworld, it was discovered that the gastroulths had a chemical weakness and an auditory weakness so an inaudible to gems high-pitched noise was played at all sites to ward off any more gastroulths and if any did manage to enter gem sites, a chemical would be sprayed on them that would kill them within a few minutes of exposure. Soon the attacks were down to zero and the colony's progression was at full speed once again. The three diamonds used the new Homeworld Warp Pad to return to Homeworld as it was the quickest way back, seeing they didn't want to be weeks in space again. As soon as they were back in the Temple White and Blue were more than happy to retire to their respective chambers, but before Pink went to hers she set Pearl down and said:

"Pearl, I want you to go and summon one of the gems who were studying the gastroulth's language and bring them to the Throne Room. I want to ask them to do something for me."

"As you wish," said Pearl as she bowed and left the warp pad room. As Pink made her way to the Throne Room, she took out the book that the gastroulth gave her and looked it over. It was simple enough, made of animal hide with more parchment paper. It was rather thick and well-worn. She sat down in her throne and opened the book. She couldn't make out a word of it but it was neatly written for the most part save the very last entry. She closed the book and looked at the wooden pendent that was part of the simple necklace. It was a wooden carving of what appeared to be two larger gastroulths and two smaller ones, they seemed to be embracing each other. Then she looked at the dagger. It was a curved design but it had some intricate details on the handle. Overall it was a very nice weapon. She tested the blade and it was still very sharp. She saw Pearl enter so she put the dagger down and looked for the gem she was to bring forth but didn't see anyone other than Pearl.

"May I present Yellow Lepidolite," said Pearl as she bowed and backed away. Pink looked and still didn't see anything. She turned to Pearl and gave her a puzzled look. Pearl motioned down to the floor, so Pink looked and then she saw her. There standing on the ground and couldn't possibly be half the size of her pinkie fingernail was Yellow Lepidolite who curtsied when she was finally noticed.

"Please forgive me," said Pink with some embarrassment, "I didn't realize that you would be so...small." She reached down to let Yellow Lepidolite onto her hand but she needed Pearl's help in even reaching her hand. After Pearl placed her onto her hand and Pink lifted her up to her face, so close up that her hand was almost touching her face, Yellow Lepidolite curtsied again and said in such a tiny voice that Pink almost couldn't hear her:

"It is quite alright My Diamond, I am use to being misplaced and gone unnoticed. That is why we lepidolite are so great at gathering intelligence."

"That is why I wanted your help," Pink said, "I have here a book that was given to me by one of the gastroulth leaders and I was wondering if you could possibly translate it for me?" Yellow Lepidolite's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Oh my," she said as she walked over to the book and walked on the pages, "I can not tell you how excited I am to work on this for you My Diamond! When the war on Colony 29 was declared over, all gastroulth writing and artwork was declared to be destroyed. Oh here I get another chance at translation!"

"Destroyed," asked Pink, "why? I though we always documented everything when colonizing planets."

"Well, most things My Diamond," said Yellow Lepidolite turning to her, "if there is intelligent life, we'll record some basic information on them but not a complete record of their achievements. Homeworld isn't interested in organic life forms accomplishments, only ours, and Yellow Diamond decreed as punishment that ALL information and knowledge of gastroulths would not be recorded. After all, My Diamond, what worse fate is there than oblivion?" Pink though about what was said as Yellow Lepidolite marveled at the book.

"Oh yes," she said, "I never did quite manage their spoken language," she said to Pink, "but I do still have my notes on their written language, and there is still time. I think," she said turning to her, "if I return to Colony 29 and I study the remaining gastroulths then...yes, yes I do believe I will be able to have their language down. I will translate this for you My Diamond, only for the soul reason of knowledge. I wish I could do more, but I fear the repercussions of disobeying My Diamond...but since this is an order from you...yes yes," she said excitedly, "I can't tell you when I will have it translated but I will return the book when it is completed."

"Very well Yellow Lepidolite," said Pink as she placed her back down on the ground and bubbled the book so it could be more manageable, "the book will be in your care until then. I hope that you will be safe on Colony 29 and I wish to thank you for your aid in this."

"The pleasure will definitely be all mine, My Diamond," said Yellow Lepidolite as she curtsied again.

"Pearl," said Pink, "help Yellow Lepidolite with the book. Once you're done return here. Um...I suppose that's all I need," she said as she quietly clapped twice. Pearl did her best as she guided the bubbled book for Yellow Lepidolite, but it really was a silly site to see. Pink sat back in her throne and decided that she wanted to retire to her room, but then remembered what she had done over the weeks she had been on Colony 29. Getting somewhat excited she stood up and quickly walked back to her room and very carefully opened the door and entered her chamber. She looked inside and was delighted to see that they had made it back safely. Over the course of time, she would come across a piece of fruit in the jungle and she would bubble and send it away. Floating in the air were dozens of the fruits that she had gathered on Colony 29. She had wanted to experiment with organic functions and consumption was something she had wanted to try for the longest time.

She eyed a larger melon that she had found growing near some water sources and decided that she would start with that one. She popped the bubble and held the melon in her hands, wondering how to exactly begin. It was a larger fruit, as large as her head so she really didn't know how such a thing was to be consumed. She then thought about the dagger and smiled. She took it out and cut into the flesh of the melon and sliced it in half, finding some pride in her problem solving skills.

"Just like an organic being would do it," she said out loud as she continued cutting it. The flesh of the fruit was a strange reddish purple, but it smelled sweet. As she held up a bite-sized piece, she wondered if she would be even able to do this. She wasn't sure if she could shape-shift the required...equipment needed for this. She decided that she might as well make the attempt as she looked at the piece of fruit.

"Well," she said to nobody but herself, "here we go," and she put the fruit in her mouth. She paused and felt the fruit on her tongue. She felt a strange sensation that she could only guess that was taste, it was very pleasant. She seemed to start to do things automatically because she moved the fruit to the side of her mouth and started to chew without really thinking about it. The taste in her mouth only became more intense after that. As she chewed, she could feel something deep inside start to happen and she could safely say wasn't very comfortable. She paused as it happened but just as soon as it started it seemed to stop.

'Odd,' she thought, 'oh well.' She swallowed and almost instantly there was a sharp pain that radiated from her middle, but just as quick as it started it was over. She still panted from the pain and placed a hand from where it had been. She pushed in and could now feel that something was there. She must have subconsciously shape-shifted a digestive system. Now that she knew how painful it was for her to shape-shift...perhaps it was best for her to wait for Project F to find a solution. She cut herself another piece of fruit and put it in her mouth. This time to her relief when she swallowed there was no pain. As she continued she was beginning to understand why organics ate, it was a very nice experience, albeit a bit messy. The door opened and she looked to see that Pearl had returned. Pearl paused at the strange sight of floating bubbles and her diamond who was sitting in her chair and was slightly sticky from melon juice.

"Ah Pearl," said Pink who smiled down at her and handed her a bit of melon, "here, I brought these fruits from Colony 29 to try out; you can have some to try as well." Pearl took the sticky piece of fruit and grimaced. As Pink continued talking, she simply discarded the offered piece and washed off the sticky juice off her hands with a summoned towel from her gemstone.

"This was one of the ways I wanted to better understand organic beings," she said as she cut up the rest of the melon, "and this has been such a fun experience. I can see why they do it," she said putting more fruit in her mouth.

"That is wonderful to see you enjoy it so, My Diamond," said Pearl as she finished washing her hands, "but is it worth the mess it makes," she said looking at the discarded rind of the melon that she knew it was her job to clean up, "and not to be impertinent but it seems to be...unbecoming of you?"

"Really," asked Pink, "how so?" Pearl shrugged and shyly pointed to what she meant. Pink looked and saw that her abdomen was slightly bulging out.

"A unforeseen side effect," Pink said as she tried pushing it back down into place, "but I'm sure it will go down with time," she said as she finished off the last of the melon. She then stood back up and reached up for another bubble that had more fruit in it.

"Are you absolutely sure you don't wish to have any of these," Pink asked Pearl as she watched her start to clean up her mess.

"I am quite sure," Pearl said as she tried to gather up the rinds as best as she could. Pink only shrugged and bit into the hand sized fruit that come off of a tree. It was a strange texture, and the flavor was much different than the melon was but she liked it immensely. Soon however she didn't feel like continuing as she felt...filled up but content, but the distention had gotten a bit worse. She tired again to push it back down but it was somewhat stiff and would just spring back, so she just gave up. Surely it wouldn't stay like that. She decided to read as her next activity as she didn't want to sleep quite just yet. She summoned a large screen and pulled up several long logs and documents that seemed interesting topics to her and started quietly reading. It was almost eighteen hours later when she heard the noise. She lowered the screen and looked down at Pearl.

"Did you say something Pearl," she asked her. Pearl shook her head.

"No My Diamond," Pearl said, "I have stood here quietly in wait since you began reading." Pink hummed and went back to her reading but only a few minutes later she not only heard a gurgling sound but felt something shift inside. She looked down and felt her now flat stomach but it only caused it to make louder noises.

"It appears to be I am the one making the unusual noises," she said moving her hand away, "and I am beginning to feel a strange urge." Pearl started to looked worried.

"I'm sure it's fine," said Pink looking back to her reading, "it'll probably stop on it's own soon enough." However ten hours later it was very evident that it wasn't going going to stop, if anything the sensation she felt became painful and the noises became obnoxiously loud. She had enough and quickly looked up all known information that Homeworld had on the organic digestion process to see what she could have possibly done wrong. Unfortunately there wasn't much information however she did find a paragraph that seemed to shine some light on the matter and she quietly read it aloud under her breath:

'Organics that have these systems must regularly feed a number times in a day (more or less depending on the species of the organic) or else the subject will experience something called hunger pangs. Little is known about this as gems who have volunteered in experiments (read Colony 24, subject organic life records for further details) have never experienced such feelings and is hypothesized that gems are simply incapable of this sensation due to-' she paused when she felt another cramp, 'not needing to feed in the first place. This seems to be the one of the driving factors in motivating the organic to feed other that they will simply die if they do not.'

"Perfect," mumbled Pink as she put her hands to her head, "I have to be the exception to the rule, don't I?" Obviously the most simple solution was to shapeshift the digestive system away. Boom, problem solved, but most of her already knew she wasn't going to be able to do it. She tried anyway, but nothing happened. She sighed as there was only one thing she could do at this point. She reached up and got another bubble out of the air to get something to hurry and eat to stop the pain and after that...she was going to go see White and see if she had any ideas.

 

* * *

 

She was suddenly aware of herself, that she was alive, and she was absolutely confused. She only had a vague understanding of what exactly was going on, but other than that she was blind, deaf and mute to the universe. She suddenly felt as if she was stretching out in such a tight space, she really didn't know what was going on so she started to craw through the...whatever she was in...it felt like it was the only thing she was suppose to do. She crawled and climbed and soon she emerged into the open and into the light. She squinted at the brightness of the light that made her bring up her arm to shield her eyes from it, but that only made her look at her arm in new wonderment. She gazed down at her arms, hands and body.

"What is...this..." she said out loud as she looked at her hands and then paused at the new wonder that was her own voice.

"There it is," called out something behind her. She turned and-

"My Diamond," said White Pearl, jarring her out of her thoughts once again, "My Diamond?" White Diamond leaned forward in her chair with her hand on her head. She had her eyes closed and she quietly sighed in irritation.

"I am sorry My Diamond," said White Pearl, "It's just that-"

"You have," interrupted White Diamond opening her eyes, "the most uncanny timing I have ever known...and did I not specifically _tell_ you," she slammed her fist down on her armrest causing White Pearl to flinch, "that I wished not to be disturbed?"

"My deepest apologies," Pearl said bowing, "but Pink Diamond insisted that it was very urgent that she saw you." White rubbed her temple in irritation, she knew she was in a foul mood and knowing Pink, it was probably something very minor, but important to her. White sighed again and sat back in her chair.

"Bring her in." Pearl only bowed and left the room to bring in Pink Diamond. White drummed her fingers and watched them as she did so. Soon she heard the door open and waited for the predicable words her pearl would reprise out; if she had been a lesser gem she would have mouthed along with her:

"My Diamond, May I present Pink Diamond."

"Yes, thank you Pearl," said White as she flicked her hand in the air, her voice thick with annoyance, "you and Pink Diamond's pearl may wait outside." She put her hand back to her temple and huffed and was slightly relieved when the darkness returned, almost forgetting she had a guest in the room with her.

"Is there," meekly asked Pink in the dark, "a light switch, or something?"

"Oh," said White as she lowered her hand, "it's on," she paused and actually had to think about it, "it's on the wall by the door, I believe." She kept her eyes downcast and could hear Pink silently prod in the dark for the switch, seemingly too timid to light up her gem. However she quickly found it and the room was quickly illuminated for the first time in several centuries. Pink looked around at the room and was very surprised on how bare it was.

"Your room looks and feels so-"

"Minimalist," asked White who didn't bother looking up at her.

"Lonely," finished Pink quietly hoping she hadn't insulted White. White only paused and then said:

"I think, 'solitude' would describe it better. What brings you to me," asked White who clearly wanted this meeting over with as soon as possible. Pink wondered if she should tell White at a more agreeable time, seeing that she was in a very bad mood. However before she could even get a word out her little problem spoke out for her, causing her to close her eyes and blush in embarrassment. White turned her chair around and looked first at her middle then up at her but her face was blank and emotionless. Pink went to explain herself but was cut off by White.

"And I suppose you can't shift it away, can you," she said not even trying to hide her irritation. Pink blushed harder and shrunk back a bit.

"No, I can't," she freely admitted.

"Even after we talked about it," White muttered under her breath quietly to herself, but then said louder to her "we had a discussion about this not too long ago about this. Just-" she said putting her hand back to her head, "go back to your chamber and I'll contact Peridot 3C9 and have her come and see what she can do. Honestly Pink," White said with a sigh, "this is getting to be-" but she stopped herself from finishing what she was going to say. She sat back in the chair and sighed again.

"I...apologize," said White, "I am in a terrible mood right now and I can be very difficult to be around like this. It's not your fault, you didn't know it would happen, just-" she moved her hand away from her head and looked at her, "go back to your chamber and we'll figure it out as discreetly as possible." Pink only nodded, but she was still blushing from embarrassment and quietly left White's room. White activated her holoscreen and waited for the peridot to answer, finding it irritating that Pink had left the light on after she had left.

"This is Peridot," said Peridot with a pause as she seemed caught off guard that White Diamond was in a lit room, "Facet-184T Cut-3C9. How may I serve you My Diamond?"

"I need you to come to the Temple as soon as you can," said White, "a complication has developed. It is similar to your Sub Group 5.3, please bring any equipment you may require to evaluate and examine." She ended the transmission before Peridot could even respond. As White went to leave the room, she turned off the light and looked back, quietly reflecting at what Pink had said, but then quietly left.

"Pearl," White said to her pearl who was standing in her usual position outside her room, "go wait for Peridot 3C9, she will be arriving via the Galaxy Warp Pad soon and escort her to Pink Diamond's private chambers where we shall be waiting inside." Pearl said nothing but only bowed and quickly made her way to the warp pad. White soon came to Pink's chamber and saw that Pink Diamond had her pearl waiting for her to arrive. The defective pearl quietly opened the door for her and quickly bowed.

"Wait out here," she told the pearl. As soon as the door closed White looked around the room. She put her hands on her hips and sighed as she looked up at the floating bubbles.

"How long had you been gathering these," White asked grabbing one and examining it closely.

"I began around the first few weeks we arrived on Colony 29," Pink quietly said. White let the bubble go and then noticed a yellow-colored bubble floating in the air. She grabbed it and looked inside.

"Isn't this the Fire Agate who was assigned to you by Yellow Diamond," asked White, "Yellow told me she had been severely cracked. Why hasn't she been given a proper shattering?" Pink quickly approached White and took the bubble out of White's hands, as if she was worried that White was going to pop it and perform the shattering herself.

"I requested to keep Fire Agate's gemstone safe inside a bubble," said Pink releasing it back up into her room, "until a viable solution to cracked gems is found. I know from what Yellow told me," she said sitting down on her bed, "that there isn't a solution as of yet, but I know that one will be found eventually."

"Do you," asked White, "there is a vast difference between knowing something and hoping for something. Do not confuse the two." Pink only looked up at the bubble, then back at White.

"Perhaps one day," said White looking up at the bubble, "but, I do not see it happening for a very long time, if ever. I have tried numerous times, and there are no known gems who can do such a thing."

"Well," said Pink thinking about what White said, "why not ma-" but she was interrupted by the door opening and White Pearl and Peridot entered the room.

"My Diamond, the request-"

"Yes-yes," said White, "I know who it is. Leave us." White Pearl bowed and quietly turned and walked down the hall. Peridot looked back at the leaving pearl then up at the two diamonds. White was clearly in a very disagreeable mood and she already knew she was going to probably tell her things she didn't want to hear. Peridot went to say something but was cut off by White:

"No social pleasantries, just do the examination," she said sitting in Pink's chair. Peridot saluted and walked onto Pink's awaiting hand and was placed on her bed by her side.

"It's good to see you again," Pink said to Peridot with a small smile.

"Um," said Peridot, not really knowing what to say, "yes well," she cleared her throat, "let's begin the exam shall we?" She started to set up a device that appeared to rest on top of a tripod. As she was setting up her equipment, Peridot decided to give out some information:

"This shouldn't take very long," she said placing the device on top of the tripod, "this device will give us a three-dimensional scan of what is inside, although I already have a good idea," she said as she pressed some buttons on the device, "as I've seen this multiple times now."

"How so," asked Pink. This caused Peridot to look up at her with some shock.

"Haven't you been reading the reports I've been sending?"

"What reports," Pink asked looking at Peridot then over at White.

"The reports I've meticulously written every day and sent in every week," said Peridot punctuating on her hand with annoyance that she wouldn't normally show in front of the diamonds, "well, that does explain why you did what you did, otherwise you would have known what would have happened and-" the words died in her throat when she saw the look on White Diamonds' face. She had a calm expression but her eyes were almost glowing with anger. Peridot didn't finish her statement and quietly started the device.

"Alright now," she said to Pink, "just stand up strait over there," she said pointing away from the bed, "and hold still for a moment." Pink did as told and Peridot pointed the scanner at her. Peridot looked at the preliminary scans and it was just as she thought. White wasn't going to like what she was going to tell her one bit. She finished the scans and put them in her portable holoscreen projector so she could show the two diamonds what was found. When the image was brought up, Pink was interested but was blushing heavily while White tilted her head at the image.

"Now, as we can see this is what was formed. I know you may not know it by just looking at it, but her system is incomplete. Let me pull up a comparison image of another gems to show you." Peridot typed on her screen and soon another gem's image popped up along the side of the other one. Pink stopped blushing and was now just confused. In her image, there was only the upper half of the system while the other image had a lower half as well.

"I've seen this every time with the few navel gems in Sub Group 5.3," Peridot said pointing to the image, "in every case, the digestive system connects directly to the gem, so only the upper half of the system forms. In a way," Peridot said trying to make a bad situation sound better, "that's a positive."

"Why," asked Pink. Now it was Peridot's turn to blush.

"Never mind," said Peridot, "but the negative is the system is there to stay."

"What," said White flatly. Peridot shivered a bit but stayed standing tall.

"I am sorry My Diamond," she said, "but I did try to tell you in our last report conference but you ended the transmission before I could finish. In my reports, I clearly wrote that whenever we had these kind of situations, the gems were unable to shapeshift their systems away, because of the extra energy it now provides and...well we've discovered that whenever a gem in Group 5 shapeshifts, they retain the shape permanently until they are poofed...if they can be done safely." White looked down at Peridot with daggers in her eyes. Peridot shrunk down but kept her resolve.

"I did try to tell you," she said. White only sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

"What can be done until a solution is found," she asked sounding very tired.

"Well," said Peridot, "unfortunately she will have to eat, otherwise she will be in pain all the time."

"Great," mumbled Pink, "that is not very convenient. How often?"

"It depends," said Peridot, "but on average, about three to four times a day, maybe more." Pink sighed with deep irritation and folded her arms. She supposed she wanted to know what it was like to be an organic...what was that phrase she had read, something about wishing and regretting about getting what you want?

"We will have to find a way to provide without wasting valuable resources," said White, "I can't stand squandered resources used on such frivolous activities such as these; never have."

"What do you mean," asked Pink.

"You're not the first gem to ever eat," said White, "but it's not necessary for us so it's very uncommon for a regular gem to ever even come in contact with such an unusual items so it's seen as a," White motioned with her hand, "a rare privileged activity for aristocratic gems. I see it as a unnecessary activity; in your case however," she said looking at Pink, "it is a requirement now." White walked over to where Peridot was gathering up her equipment and unceremoniously picked her up, causing her to quietly yip out in fear.

"I will work on something for you," White said to Pink, "until then let's hope what you've gathered will be sufficient for the time being."

"Thank you," said Pink, "and thank you Peridot. I really do appreciate your hard work for me."

"O-Of course," said Peridot who couldn't salute if she had wanted to, "it is my privilege."

"I would like to escort Peridot back to the Galaxy Warp myself," said White which only caused the small gem to shiver in her hand, "I shall return shortly." Pink only nodded, but waved 'good bye' to the little gem as the two left her alone in her room. As White walked past both pearls, she quickly barked out:

"Stay until I return." This caused Peridot to greatly fear for what White wanted to speak with her about. It was one thing to be alone with a diamond, but to be absolutely alone without a pearl nearby was terrifying. When they reached the warp pad, White finally set Peridot down and she forced herself to look up at her diamond without shaking.

"I wanted to discuss the experimental feeding solution you had found in the reports," White said blankly, "the one that resulted in the successful extended time periods between feedings." Peridot's eyes widened and her color seemed to pale slightly.

"But My Diamond," she said, "while that solution was very efficient and has exponentially reduced the amount the gem would need to consume...it's...extremely barbaric to say the least. The gems that found out-"

"I don't care what you think," said White looking down, "I want you to begin mass production of it. If you need more ingredients just simply contact Yellow Diamond and she will provide you with all that you need." Peridot for the first time looked very disgusted at White, but saluted all the same. White caught the look and bent down and tapped Peridot's gem with her long fingernail.

"Don't think for a second that you're not replaceable Peridot," she said, "just because you're working on this project. I could have another Peridot made to replace you at a moment's notice. That's what's so nice about Peridots after all," she said standing back up, "they keep such nice, meticulous reports after all that one could easily pick up right were another left off, couldn't she?"

"Yes," said Peridot quietly, "My Diamond."

"Go," said White as she started to leave, "and contact Yellow Diamond with this update and when the first batch is ready. I look forward to your next report." Peridot looked on as White left the area and left her alone by the warp pads. Project F was the worst, most cruel thing she had ever worked on and now it had only gotten significantly worse.


	8. Chapter 8

Yellow Diamond quietly sighed as soon as she stepped off the Galaxy Warp Pad. She never did like handling matters like this personally, but seeing that this was for a diamond, then it was worth her time. Yellow was the only diamond who didn't like traveling by palanquin, 'too frilly' she deemed it in her younger centuries. She much preferred to travel by air ships, however where she was going it would be ludicrous to bring a ship for such a task. She was a gem who did not like to waste time so she walked quickly through the domed walkway, forgetting that the smaller gems behind her had to run just to keep up with her.

This facility that she was coming up to was the secretive Project F. A simple building on a moon in a undisclosed sector of space that only she and White knew of it's exact location; not even the workers knew where they exactly were. This was the first time Yellow had come to the facility herself and it was quite evident that it was not meant for a diamond to walk around in. She sighed and simply placed her hands behind her back.

"Pearl," she commanded, to-which her pearl sprang forth and saluted her, "go in my place and fetch what we came for. Take four of the amethysts with you; you'll need them to help you I'm sure."

"Yes, My Diamond," said Yellow Pearl. This was a very rare treat for her, she had been told her four most favorite words: 'go in my place'. She was now the most powerful pearl in gem kind. Oh how she loved this feeling of power, even if it was short lived. She was a very lucky pearl indeed. As she and the amethyst guards made their way inside, Yellow Pearl couldn't ignore the strange smell that was in the air. It was faint at first, but as they made their way in deeper, the smell only got stronger and stronger. Eventually one of the amethyst guards covered her nose. Soon they finally found one of the workers, it appeared to be a black rutile in a white lab coat looking at her holomonitors. It was strange to see a black rutile here, black rutiles were very rare, marveled for their beautiful black and white stripes. A black rutile was one of the few quartz gems, let alone any gem that could be placed in upper gem society rather than its usual place of work, so it was strange to see one willingly stay in a lower position.

Yellow Pearl approached and made a polite noise to get her attention but the black rutile just kept staring at her holomonitors. Yellow Pearl glared at her and walked around to get a better look at Black Rutile and saw that she wasn't looking at her holomonitors at all. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.

"AH-HEM," coughed Yellow Pearl very exaggerated. Black Rutile jumped and her holomonitors dissipated as she spun around to look at where the sound came from. She smiled awkwardly at Yellow Pearl.

"Oh, yes hello," Black Rutile said nervously, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. You must be here for the pick up?"

"Indeed," said Yellow Pearl, "Yellow Diamond is waiting outside as we speak." Black Rutiles' smile faded slightly as she adjusted her coat.

"Then we mustn't keep her waiting then," she said quietly, "who knows what she'd do. Come this way please." As they walked down the halls Pearl could hardly ignore the smell of the facility and wanted to ask what it was but it seemed that one of the ill-mannered amethysts were going to ask the questions for her:

"What is that smell anyway," asked the amethyst, "it's making my upper inner form burn."

"Sorry about that," said Black Rutile, "but that is part of the latest experiments...it's...not going well for our subjects," she said quietly.

"Why does it stink so badly here," asked another amethyst.

"Yeah," said a second amethyst, "wouldn't it make more sense to not put air in the place so the smell wouldn't carry around?" Black Rutile smiled and turned to the amethyst.

"That is a good observation," she said, "but we put air in the facility so we can communicate."

"Huh," said the amethyst, "what do you mean?" Yellow Pearl rolled her eyes. Amethysts' were so stupid. Black Rutile only smiled and continued her explanation:

"In space," she said, "there is no air, so if we were on the surface outside where the dome buildings were, we wouldn't be able to hear each other because sound needs to vibrate on molecules. There is sounds in space, but since there is such a large space," she chuckled at her words, "that is gap between molecules, it sounds for the most part, silent. Air is a great way for noise to travel," she said smiling, "so we put air in our bases and facilities even though we don't need to breath so we can simply talk to each other."

"Oooh, I get it." said the first amethyst with a smile, "I always wondered that. I always thought it was such a dumb thing to do but now I get why they do it." Black Rutile smiled gently. The group continued on in silence as they walked down the halls. Something about the environment put the visiting group on edge as they entered deeper in, even with Black Rutile's friendly conduct.

"How much further is it," asked Yellow Pearl looking around the halls, "my diamond doesn't like to be kept waiting long."

"It's not much further," said Black Rutile quietly, "it's right next to the testing areas. If we're quick, we will hopefully pass through before the testing begins."

"Why," asked one of the amethysts.

"Normally," said Black Rutile, "the testing isn't so bad, but one of the new tests as of late...it bothers me," she said quietly.

"Again, why," asked the same amethyst. This time Black Rutile didn't answer. Finally they came to an area where there were many other gems in white lab coats working at stations.

"Right this way," said Black Rutile, "please don't disturb the others as they work. Their work is highly classified and they are working with sensitive materials." As the six walked through the area the five visitors couldn't help but look around at what the scientists were doing. Some of it looked really interesting while other parts looked relaxing. Some of the test subject gems seemed happy enough, however many of the gems, scientist and test subject alike, had a haunted look in their eyes.

"Here we are," said Black Rutile as she came up to a closed door, "I just have to go clear this with Peridot 3C9 , wait here and...just don't touch or do anything until I return." As they stood waiting for Black Rutile to return, the amethyst guards looked around nervously.

"This place gives me the creeps," whispered the first guard to nobody in particular.

"What is it they do here exactly," asked another.

"That's classified information," said Yellow Pearl, "even I don't fully know what they do here, and it's none of our business."

"Hey, I was just-" but she stopped talking when she saw Black Rutile coming back with Peridot. Yellow Pearl couldn't help but notice how similar Peridot looked to her diamond when she was in a particularly bad mood when interrupted from something important. Black Rutile went into the room to get what they came for while Peridot stayed behind to talk to the group.

"Some information for Yellow Diamond," said Peridot bluntly to Yellow Pearl as she marked some files on her holomonitors, "so please pay attention: The five slabs we are delivering is all we have currently, and it will take a lot of time and valuable resources to make more," and she gave a death glare to all of them, "so make sure nothing happens to them. Give this to Yellow Diamond," she said giving Yellow Pearl a diamond-shaped object, "it contains all the information she needs to know about this." Yellow Pearl nodded as she held onto the object carefully.

"Is there anything else we need to know," asked Yellow Pearl as the amethysts readied the large transport pallet.

"No, everything important should be on that device I gave you," Peridot said as she looked away. Yellow Pearl raised an eyebrow, it was becoming clear that the peridot did not like working on this project but...it wasn't like any of them had a choice of what they did.

"Then we will be on our way," said Yellow Pearl, "hurry with that pallet amethyst," she said to the guards as they pushed the hover cart with them. As the group walked back with Black Rutile, Yellow Pearl noticed that Black Rutile was occasionally glancing down at the pallet with some strange look of apprehension. Soon they came back outside where Yellow Diamond was standing patiently with her arms behind her back as she looked out into the cosmos.

"My Diamond," bowed Yellow Pearl, "we have returned with the asked items, and I have been given this by Peridot 3C9," she said handing the diamond shaped object to her, "she informed me that all the information that you would need is on this."

"Why didn't she come and tell me this herself," asked Yellow slowly, her tone low and dangerous. Black Rutile thankfully spoke up in Yellow Pearl's place, as her least favorite thing to tell her diamond was 'I don't know'.

"I apologize My Diamond," she said saluting, "but we've been very busy with the latest experiments and with the Solution C being reactivated, we have been shorthanded."

"I see," said Yellow Diamond, "I will inform White Diamond of this oversight and see if we can send you more gems quickly. Tell Peridot I expect a report on this sooner than later," she said looking down, "and that I don't like her new attitude. If I come in person, then she better come see me."

"I shall inform her," said Black Rutile. Yellow Diamond simply raised her head slightly then raised her arm to signal the others to follow her. As Yellow marched away, she decided that she would talk to White about the peridot. Clearly she was becoming far too impertinent for her own good. As she walked, she took the time to quickly read what information Peridot gave her. She hummed at it, there was still a bit of an unknown factor with it considering they had no information when it came to diamonds.

When Yellow reached the Galaxy Warp Pad and was about to step on it, she looked back and saw that once again she had outpaced the others. She rolled her eyes, was it really that hard to keep up with her? When the gems finally reached her, she reached down and picked up one of the cakes and said:

"We are returning to the Diamond Temple. Take the pallet and this," she said giving the diamond object back to Yellow Pearl, "directly to White Diamond, I will take this to Pink Diamond."

"Yes My-" Yellow Pearl started but Yellow Diamond warped away before she could finish. As Yellow was warping she examined the cake in her hand. It seemed sufficient enough she supposed but she sighed and looked away from it. There was no point at telling Pink how foolish she had been; White had already done that. She finally arrived back in the Diamond Temple so she made her way back towards Pinks' chamber. When she reached the door she knocked on it and waited for it to open. It took longer than expected to open, no doubt because of the defective pearl Pink insisted in keeping around. The door finally opened and Yellow stepped inside. To her surprise Pink Diamond was working on something in her chair with several holomonitors surrounding her chair. Pink looked up from her work and smiled at her.

"Yellow," she said standing up, "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"Yes well," said Yellow as she looked around, "White informed me of what happened. She is currently busy with something important, and I had some spare time so I figured I could be of some assistance."

"Thank you," said Pink as she approached her, "this whole...experiment has been a bit of a disaster," she said running her hand through her hair. Yellow chuckled.

"We all have done foolish things in our younger times but yes," she said, "you did not think this one through at all." She looked around the room seeing that there weren't any bubbles in the rooms other than the bubbled Fire Agate that Pink had begged to keep.

"It seems that my arrival was well timed. Here," she said handing her the cake, "this is one of five; White will have the other four. According to Peridot 3C9, this single serving here should satisfy you for a little over eighteen hundred days."

"Really," said Pink looking the light-brown object over, "That is quite amazing. What is it made of?"

"That isn't important," said Yellow, "as long as it works that is all it matters." Pink shrugged and brought the cake up to her nose and sniffed it. It was a strange habit she had started when she started eating, but this thing had no smell to it. She took a bite of it and chewed it and instantly stopped. It wasn't...bad, just bland. It had no taste, at all. It was slightly gritty, but the texture was soft like nougat.

"Something wrong," asked Yellow.

"It's just," said Pink looking it over in her hand, "boring." Yellow raised an eyebrow, not really understanding what she was talking about.

"Well," said Yellow, "I'm sure you'll have to simply manage." Yellow walked over to where Pink's chair was to see what she had been working on. Looking at the information she was very surprised to see what it was.

"Are you reading about gem creation Pink," she asked. Pink only nodded as she currently had her mouth full of the boring cake. Yellow looked over what she was reading and put her hand at her chin.

"Gem creation is very complicated," she said walking back over to Pink, "it's not just a matter of taking a gem rock and placing some primordial ooze onto it and hoping it will spring to life. If you really want to learn how to create a new gem type, I would talk to White," she said tilting her head, "but again Pink, don't get your hopes up, even I haven't successfully created a gem myself." Yellow looked up at her bubble floating up in the room before turning to leave the room. Pink sat back down in her chair and took another bite of the cake as she looked back at her holomonitors. Yellow probably did have a point, she was getting very confused about how gems should be able to be created from any old stone but it seemed that it wasn't that simple. She took another bite of the cake, it was weird, the more she ate it, the more she was liking the boring thing. She decided that she would ask White about how she created gems, after all, she was the one who created all of them. She hurried and finished the cake and decided that she would ask now, it was hard to ever catch White when she wasn't busy so she would just risk it.

Pink walked out to the Throne Room and thankfully White was sitting on her throne working quietly. Instead of interrupting her, she decided to sit on her own throne and wait until there was an appropriate time to speak. She sat down and saw that Pearl had followed her and had stood at the right side of her throne. Chuckling, she reached down and picked Pearl up and placed her on her lap. Pearl smiled as Pink gently petted the top of her head, however both did not notice White Diamond looking over at the two of them. White said nothing about that but looked back to her monitors and said:

"Is there something I can do for you Pink," she asked in a very bored tone.

"Well," said Pink, "I wanted to ask you about gem creation and how you did it." White paused, and slowly dismissed her monitors and sat back in her throne. She looked up at the ceiling and placed her hands in her lap.

"When creating gems," she said slowly, "it's not just about creating them because you want to," she looked over at her, "because that will not make it happen. You can't simply will things to life," she said very sadly.

"When I first started to create my first gems," White said, "I thought you could use any gemstone," she gave a bitter laugh, "but with failure after failure it became apparent I was doing something wrong..and I had nobody to turn to ask what I was doing wrong." She closed her eyes. "It was thousands of years before I figured it out, but those were such lonely, lonely millenniums." Pink didn't say anything, but she couldn't imagine being alone for millenniums with nobody to speak with.

"How did you do it," asked Pink quietly.

"Do what," asked White, "create gems?"

"No, be alone all that time." White sat there quietly, then stood up.

"Pink come with me, but pearls," she said to them, "you shall stay here." White and Pink made their way back to White's chambers and entered it.

"Please sit," White said to Pink offering her chair to Pink. Pink who didn't want to be rude sat in the chair and was actually surprised how comfortable it was. White's back was facing her, her hands behind her back interlocked with eachother. White sighed and finally said:

"I am the first gem," said White, "that is very common knowledge..however...I was created." Pink sat up from the chair.

"You were created," she asked breathlessly.

"Yes," said White very quietly, "by accident. Long ago, there was a ancient space faring organic race that was much like us: They would conqueror worlds by means of war and pillage. They were a merciless race," White said, "cruel and unforgiving. If they would come into contact with a world that they wished to destroy without alerting the race on that planet, they would use their ultimate weapon. They would inject it deep within the mantel of the planet and within a few centuries a part of the planet would explode or implode, effectively wiping out a majority of life on it before any evacuations could take place."

"That's horrific," said Pink.

"Yes," said White with a very small smile, "but doesn't it also sound familiar?" Pink paused then looked up at White. White nodded.

"Yes," she said, "it seemed that when they first designed their weapon, they not only used diamonds," she said with a scoff, "but they had encrypted a silly depiction of their war goddess within the code," she shook her head.

"Anyway, during one such time, instead of the usual explosion or implosion, the life of it started to wither and die. The intelligent life on it clearly noticed it and evacuated. The conquering race was of course furious that their weapon had failed for the first time so they studied the site to see what was going on. When they eventually landed and surrounded the site, is the day I emerged."

"So you weren't alone when you came out," said Pink. White's face went dark.

"No, they had their army in wait and when I emerged; confused and new...they attacked me. You must understand, being something was wasn't suppose to be," she said turning to her, "I had a very limited intelligence and didn't know what was going on. Despite my size and power advantage, I cowered away from them. Soon they had me captured and I was their prisoner and slave."

"For how long," asked Pink.

"Several decades," White said, "they used my size and power to use to move and lift objects, other trivial things," she said clearly not wanting to go into details, "however I did find a friend in a scientist. He is the one who taught me the most basic of things, and made me realize something."

"What was that," asked Pink.

"That I was far greater and more powerful than they all were," said White darkly, "so for the next several hundred years I raged my own war on them and soon," she shrugged her shoulders, "I won."

"Oh," said Pink, "and what did you do with your first victory? Did you rule over them?"

"No," she said, "I decided that organic life was beneath beings like me, like us," she said looking at Pink, "so I went around the world, our Homeworld, and began to cleanse it. It took many millenniums to eventually wipe out all organic life forms but I was successful in doing so. I of course did record the majority of it as you did read about it."

"I'm sorry," said White, "I went off track about what you wanted to know, didn't I? You wanted to know how to make gems. Well, I simply took what they had created for use for war and began to modify it. As I said it took thousands of years, but I soon learned how to perfect the proper technique to make the perfect gems without flaws. There must be life within the planet, a lifeless planet will not work. I'm not sure why. When creating a new gem type, you also have to put a part of yourself into it," she said looking at her in earnest, "that is the true secret, but to do that you have to discover how to do that on your own."

"When you spoke to me all those years ago," Pink said quietly, "when you said making a diamond was very difficult,"

"Ah," said White, "you remembered. Yes, even though I have perfected gem production, diamonds are an entirely different matter. There is still the chance that when you inject the gem into the mantle of a planet or moon, it can explode or implode and that is usually the outcome. I don't know why," she said turning to her, "I use the same techniques that I use on gems that I use on diamonds and the same thing happens. I hope to perfect it one day so that we may have more sisters, but until then I am glad to have you three."

"Thank you White," she said standing up and giving her a hug, "I am sorry your beginning was so difficult. I had no idea it was so hard." White returned the hug and said:

"It is fine, that is in the past." Pink went to leave the room but then paused.

"What did become of your friend," she asked. White smiled and reached inside her coat.

"I kept him with me," she said pulling out a crystal bottle. Inside was a light gray powder.

"He doesn't look like much now," she said shaking the bottle, "but I promised him I'd keep him with me as long as I could, and as you can see, I've kept that promise."

"Did he die naturally," Pink asked.

"No," White said, "he died before I began my attack on the world. He wouldn't have liked the world I had in mind," she said looking at the bottle sadly, "so I did the kindest thing I could do for him; spare him of that world by giving him a quick death." Pink gave her a blank look.

"Is there anything else I can do for you," asked White.

"No, that's all I wanted to know," said Pink, "I will continue to study how to create a gem until my court emerges and then I think I will try to make a gem on my own."

"I wish you luck, but don't expect a perfect gem the first time," said White. Pink nodded and left the room. White looked at the bottle and shook the dust inside.

"What would you have thought about all this," she said to it, "I'm sure you would have loved the warp pads. I know you would have loved Pink Diamond, you two are so much alike." She put the bottle back in her coat and left her room to go back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter but I wanted to get something out for you guys. Also some nice background for White Diamond that I would actually like to do a spin-off story possibly....maybe. If someone else wants to do it, go for it!
> 
> Please leave a comment or a kudo for me!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? An Update? Shock and horror I know! Sorry It took so long to do so. My original computer died and I had to save up to get another one and then I just...didn't write it lol.
> 
> Please enjoy the chapter and read the end of chapter notes for...more notes

For the next several years Pink Diamond studied hard on how gem creation worked and what was required in order to do it. It involved reading thousands of reports from different peridots, different theories from several other high ranking gems, (some of them varied from being pompous to very interesting) but in the end she felt no closer than any of the other gems had come in finding another new gem type. In the end she had to go back to White and ask her to tell her of her past, something that White was always very vague about. Eventually White told her that creating a gem without a injector and vast amounts of primordial ooze involved 'giving a part of yourself into it' and that was all she would get out of White. Sometimes she hated when White was cryptic like that. She leaned back into her chair and groaned in frustration, rubbing her face with her hands.

"This is harder than I figured it would be," she said to Pearl, "White has created so many gem types, one would think that making more would be easy."

"One would think," said Pearl, "but I am only a Pearl; gem creation is not my forte."

"Mine too," said Pink sinking into her chair, "apparently." She shifted in her chair, she had started to notice that her chair was becoming more and more uncomfortable for her, but she figured it was due to stress. She looked up at the yellow bubble that gently floated in the upper corner of the room. There had to be something she was overlooking. She sat back up and looked over the same files over again for the hundredth time to see if there was anything she could have missed. She looked over the known list of gem types and their mineral makeup and then a thought came to her. She looked over the records of known minerals to see if there had been any new discoveries. As it turned out, over ten million years had gone by without any new mineral classifications until five hundred years ago, just a few centuries before her emergence. She opened the records and looked them over. It seemed there was a nearby galaxy that had been looked over due to the low suitable planet population, however they had happened to discover a planet that seemed to contained the necessary minerals needed for Homeworld.

"Pearl," Pink Diamond said while standing up, "it seems there might be some hope yet. We're on our way to the Mineral Archives and Database. Summon my palanquin and alert them for me...if you would please Pearl." Pearl said nothing but only nodded in agreement as she began her task.

Pink's Palanquin had never been used, so it was a treat for her to finally see and use it. Having not summoned for it for so long, Bismuth and her team were able to put together a very fine palanquin with Bismuths' usual eye for detail. Looking at it from the outside and inside, it was probably more exquisite that Blue's. Soon enough they were at the Mineral Archives and Database and to no surprise it was run by many peridots. As soon as Pink exited her palanquin, she was greeted by a peridot who was part of White Diamonds court, evident by the white diamond emblem on her chest.

"Welcome your radiance to the Mineral Archives and Database," said the peridot who saluted and bowed low, "I am Peridot Facet-93D9 Cut-67R; how may I be of assistance to you?"

"A little over five hundred years ago," began Pink, "a planet was charted and new minerals were gathered from it. I was wondering if I could look at the samples."

"Of course," said Peridot 67R, "please follow me." Pink and Pearl quietly followed Peridot 67R into the archives. Pink and to some extension Pearl looked around the archives; it smelled of rocks and soil, each sample neatly categorized in a storage locker that stretched so high up that even Pink Diamond would have to climb up some way to reach the top.

"You will have to forgive me your radiance," said Peridot 67R, "I have only been recently been placed in charged of the archives so I am not so well versed in the new planets' minerals. Peridot 3C9 was originally incharge of the archives but..."

"She's just been reassigned too-" Pink started, but then thought about what White might say, "a project run by White Diamond." Peridot 67R's face brightened up at that.

"That's a relief to hear," she said, "we knew she was summoned to a meeting to the Diamonds-"she paused and looked up, "you radiant, grand-" but Pink held up her hand and slightly smiled.

"It's fine Peridot, you need not worry about any reprimands from me; you're free to speak your mind as free as you wish." However it seemed Peridot didn't fully believe her as she continued:

"Anyway, Your Radiance, she was summoned to a meeting with the Diamonds and never did return."

"Naturally you were worried for her," said Pink.

"Oh no," quickly said 67R waving her hands quickly, "It was obvious that 3C9 was reassigned!" 67R quietly started chuckling to herself, but it was clear she was lying. Pink decided against pressing her any further, it was clear that 67R was slightly afraid of her. Soon they came up to where the new planets' mineral archives where and 67R opened up the files for Pink. As she looked them over, she decided that she wanted to actually look at them, so 67R opened the lockers up for her. As Pink picked up the samples, she carefully looked over the cylinder shaped samples; marveled at the colors and varying textures. She eventually came across a sample that had a opaque milky-pink mineral in it. She looked up the information for the sample.

"It says here that the sample here is a type of quartz rock," mumbled Pink to herself. She looked down in the tray and saw that there were several samples of the same thing. She looked at the small sample she had in hand and made up her mind.

"Peridot," she said, "I am taking this sample back with me, please update the archives for me would you?" 67R's face froze, but she didn't dare speak out towards a Diamond.

"Of course," she said as she quickly started updating the archive. Pink thanked 67R and soon she and Pearl were back inside her palanquin.

"Are we to return to the Temple," asked Pearl as she started typing the coordinates for it.

"No," Pink said quietly as she held the sample, "take us to my section of the kindergarten."

"Your section of the kindergarten," asked Pearl as she looked up at Pink, "why there?"

"I think," said Pink as she continued examining the cylinder, "I finally understand what White meant."

"Very well," said Pearl and she entered the new coordinates. Soon they came up to Pink Diamond's Kindergarten. At the moment it was completely empty; its walls were clean and even, hopefully soon they would soon burst out her court and she could finally have a purpose. Pink looked down at Pearl.

"Please wait here," she said to her, "I think I would like to do this alone." Pearl only nodded and remained at the palanquin while Pink walked on some ways down into the kindergarten. Soon she came up to the part of the kindergarten where they had stopped injecting gems. She felt the side of the cliff and found a section of wall that seemed like it would suffice. She looked down at the sample from the planet and flicked off the soil off the opaque quartz sample and then pressed it tightly in her palms.

If White could do this without any injectors or primordial ooz all those millenniums ago then she could do it as well. She knelt down and sat there for a moment, trying to think of what to do next. Shouldn't this come naturally? She looked back at the small sample in her hand and then recovered it with her hands. She sighed and tried to think of what White had said: "You can't simply will things to life." She opened her hands again and looked at the small pink rock.

"What would you be," she mumbled to her self and closed her hands again, "if you were to be a living gem like me?" She closed her eyes and tried to imagine what this rock would be like if it was a gem, what would it look like, act like? She felt a small heat in her hands, she was slightly surprised and opened her hands up to look inside. Inside her hands the rock was glowing. She quickly closed her hands and smiled, this must be the right thing to do! She concentrated on what she had been thinking about again. Tried to think about what she wanted in a gem, something new, something that hadn't been seen before but more importantly: something that could heal. When she thought of this, she felt a deep burning in her gem, arms and hands that became nearly unbearable. Soon she felt a scorching sensation in her hands and she knew it was ready. She went up to the spot that she had picked out of the cliff-face and with her right hand that had what remained of the stone pressed it hard into the face of the cliff and felt a sort of pressure that seemed to shoot away from her hand. As soon as that happened, all the burning and pain in her gem and arms suddenly stopped. She slowly moved her hand away from the cliff-face and could see a tiny hole where she guessed the now-forming gem injected...somehow.

Pink rubbed her hands together, she wasn't ashamed to admit that whatever happened hurt, but she was smiling as she was sure that she had somehow done it. As she returned to the palanquin, Pearl looked up and smiled at her.

"You seem quite pleased, My Diamond," said Pearl. Pink nodded as she continued to rub her hands together.

"I believe I have done it Pearl," she said sitting down in the palanquin, "however I won't know for sure until the gem emerges, and I am not sure when that will be. I believe I should ask White about this, she should know. Let us return to the Temple."

"As you wish," said Pearl as she directed the palanquin back towards the Temple. As the two rode in silence Pearl couldn't help but feel a faint heat that was coming from Pink's hands, forearms and a greater heat from her gem however soon the heat faded. Once they had returned to the Temple Pink expected to find White in her usual place working away, however to her great surprise White was nowhere to be found. She had Pearl ask one of the many other pearls in the temple where White had gone. She would have asked herself but these pearls were so timid that Pink only knew about them from her own Pearl telling her of them. In fact, Pearl told Pink about all of the gems who worked within the Temple walls that she seemed to never run into...seemed a shame.

"White Diamond went off Homeworld momentarily to take care of a personal matter," Pearl said to Pink, "but she should be returning shortly." Pink only nodded in response, but sighed as she rubbed her forehead. She really wanted to talk to White as soon as possible, she was still very excited about what had happened. However there wasn't anything to do but to wait.

"Shall we retire to your private chambers, My Diamond," asked Pearl.

"No, let's wait for White in the Throne Room," said Pink, "I would like to talk with her as soon as possible." Pearl nodded in agreement and the two made their way to the Diamond Throne Room. As they waited, Pearl stood quietly at the right side of Pinks' throne however Pink fidgeted and shifted uncomfortably in her throne, tapping her fingers impatiently. She hadn't noticed before, but now...

"Is something wrong, My Diamond," asked Pearl as she looked up.

"It's just that," mumbled Pink not covering her annoyance, "I've never noticed before how absolutely uncomfortable this throne really is, once you've sat in it for more than an hour. I was thinking the same thing about the palanquins' chair as well as the one in my chamber..."

"If I may," said Pearl quietly, "your throne has never bothered you before."

"True," said Pink, "but it bothers me now. I think," she said putting her hand under her chin, "when my court has emerged, I will have my bismuths modify them a bit." Pearl didn't see the need to do so, but decided it best not to say that. Perhaps this was just another strange behavior quirk of her Diamond. Eventually, White Diamond returned looking very grim and cross but as soon as she saw she wasn't alone in the throne room her expression became more neutral.

"Pink," she said her tone flat, "I didn't expect you to be in here. Usually you are in your own chambers."

"Yes I know," said Pink springing from her throne and joyfully latched onto her arm, not noticing the scowling look she received in return, "but I couldn't wait to tell you of the exciting news!"

"What could that possibly be," asked White, but she sounded barely interested.

"I believe I did it," said Pink still excited, "I think I made a new gem type." White finally turned to look at her with some interest.

"Is that so," she said with a small smile, "tell me, how did you manage it?"

"Well to begin with," said Pink, "I tried to think about why we haven't created a new gem type in so long so I went and researched it."

"Go on," said White, clearly playing into Pinks' excitement.

"Then I saw that, perhaps the reason why that was, was simply Homeworld had not discovered new mineral gem rocks in such a long time. Then I saw that only about five hundred years before my emergence, there was a planet that had been discovered that had many new mineral samples taken from it."

"Ah yes," said White, "I believe I know which one you speak of. Quite far from here but it has the possiblity of being useful."

"Anyway," continued Pink, "I took one of the samples retrieved and went to my kindergarten," Pink leaned in close to White, "I didn't get it at first what you had said, about giving a part of yourself? I do now. It hurts...quite a lot and-"

"Yes," said White with a small smile, "yes it does, doesn't it?" Pink slightly nodded in return with her own small smile.

"I am delighted," said White taking Pinks' hands into hers, "knowing you have learned how to create gems on your own. As Diamonds, only we can do this magnificent art on our own; however Blue and Yellow have yet to learn to do so."

"Then, shall I show them how," asked Pink, "I mean, there are other new samples from the-"

"No," barked out White, causing Pink to jump and slightly cower, "this is a gift that must be learn for one's self. I learned it on my own, and I have given the other two the same hint that I have given you. If they never figure it out, then they do not deserve the knowledge." There was a thick tension in the air after that so to change the subject, Pink asked:

"I placed the gem inside the wall within my kindergarten," she quietly said, "marked with a big cross over it. I'm not sure when it will emerge though."

"You will, actually," said White, "it might be a decade from now, or a century. With these kinds of gem creations the time varies unlike modern gem production, but when the time is close you will know."

"How?"

"You just will," said White with a smile.

 

* * *

 

 

The next several decades were finally productive ones for Pink Diamond. Five years after her trip to the kindergarten, her court began to emerge. Finally she felt as if she had some sort of purpose, even if it was just to give her gems busy work for now. Since she didn't have a colony of her own yet, she mainly had her court help out Yellow and Blue Diamond's court with their work but it was so wonderful to see gems bearing her insignia and color. Pink had also made it a goal of hers to treat her gems with kindness; she had seen how Blue was so short-tempered with hers, Yellow was polite but distant and with White it greatly depended on her mood, but she was usually too busy to personally interact with other gems. It was also finally nice to not ask to borrow other gems from the other courts to do things for her, as she was still...prone to break a few things here or there, but she was managing things much better. That or they were simply building things with stronger materials, however she liked to think of the former. One day, as she was reading a report from one of her agates she suddenly realized she needed to go to the kindergarten. She didn't know why, but she felt like she just needed to go there.

"Pearl," Pink said standing up, "we need to return to the kindergarten. I'm not entirely sure as to why, but we should go there as soon as possible. Please summon my palanquin."

"Right away, Your Radiance," said Pearl as she went to do so. Soon enough the two of them were traveling back to Pink's section of the kindergarten again but in Pink's opinion much more comfortably. Her very first order to her bismuths was to modify her chairs by adding "comfort" to them and they did so by adding soft cushions to all of her chairs, including the palanquins. Pearl had once told her that she had thought that they were "unnecessary additions" but it made sitting in them much more enjoyable and really, that was all that mattered now, didn't it? Her mind soon went away off the subject of cushions when they had arrived to the spot where she had placed the new gem within the wall with the cross but there was a slight difference: there was now a exit hole were she had placed the gem, but the new gem was nowhere to be seen.

"This isn't right," said Pink as she stepped outside the palanquin, "where is the gem?"

"I don't know," said Pearl as she looked around, "gems know to stay right by their holes until they are gathered or move towards the recruitment centers, but there hasn't been any reports of new emergences today," said Pearl pulling up her screen double checking the figures just to be sure.

"Do you think she could have wondered away down into the-" but as Pink said this, there was a polite noise behind them and both turned to look. There, slowly approaching them was a gem that both of them had never seen before. Obviously she was a quartz, so she had the quartz body type, however she had much softer features than other quartz' possessed. She had long curly hair that reached down midway her back, much different than the shaggy and scraggly manes of amethysts and jaspers. She had a very soft pink complexion, much lighter than Pink's own. Much like when Pink emerged, she wore a simple pinkish-white jumpsuit and her gem was where her left eye should have been. However, there was something strange about her gem, unlike Pearls or even her own Gem, this new gem's gemstone was...unpolished and uncut; just a simple rounded stone where a normal gem would be. It was odd seeing an uncut gem, but she could overlook that, here was a brand new gem standing before them.

"Hello," said the new gem with a small smile; her voice was warm , "I'm glad you're here. I'm a little lost and can't find my way out."

"You should have known to wait by your hole," said Pearl, "or gone to the nearest recruitment center." The gem was still smiling, but gave her a very puzzled look.

"I'm not sure what a recruitment center is," she said, "but you're right, I should have stayed by my hole if you were coming to find me." Pink leaned down and held her elbow in one hand while holding her chin in the other, thinking about this new gem's strange behavior.

"Do you know who I am," she asked her. The gem looked up at her. Her smile wavered a bit as she shook her head, causing her curly hair to shake and bounce.

"I'm afraid I do not," she said, but then she smiled again as she looked back up at her, "but this is the first time we are meeting after all so this is to be expected, don't you think?" Pearl gasped and was slightly put-off by this gem's forward attitude, but Pink only chuckled.

"I suppose that it true," said Pink with her own smile, "I am Pink Diamond, your creator and leader. This is my pearl...uh, Pearl," she said gesturing down towards Pearl, "what is your gem name my dear?" Here was where the gem's smile truly faded, she went into deep thought and then seemed to be slightly worried.

"I...I don't know," the gem said quietly. Pink bent down and picked up the gem and held her in her hands as she walked back into her palanquin.

"Don't worry," she said, "we'll come up with something. I have a feeling that is my task to do so. However there is something that we must do."

"What is that Pink," asked the gem. Pearl cleared her throat to gain the attention of the gem, who turned towards her.

"When addressing your Diamond," she said to the gem, "you will address her as 'My Diamond'."

"Why," asked the gem.

"Because," said Pearl who was losing her temper, "she is your Diamond, your leader and that is the proper way to address her." The gem nodded to signify that she understood.

"Back at the task at hand," said Pink as the palanquin began to return to the temple, "do you know why you were created my gem?"

"I do not," said the gem solemnly, "I am sorry."

"That is fine," said Pink, "There are many kinds of gems, that can do all sorts of things. By creating you I am hoping you are able to do something that no other gem can do."

"What would that be Pi...My Diamond," asked the gem who now sounded as if the world was suddenly placed onto her shoulders.

"I am expecting you to heal damaged gems," said Pink, "but that remains to be seen if you are able to do so. I have very high hopes that you are able to though," said Pink as she ran her fingers through the gem's hair, thinking how soft her hair was. Pink was very pleased with the situation with the new gem so far. However the gem was now worried, wondering if she was able to do what Pink was asking her to do.

Once they entered the temple, Pink carried the gem in her hands as if she was a prized possession. She was so excited that she outpaced Pearl and had to wait for her to catch up to open her chamber's room door. Once inside, she set the gem down onto her window seat and as fast as she could grasp the yellow bubble from a far corner of the room. She quickly approached to where the gem stood on the seat and knelt down and showed her the bubble.

"In this bubble," said Pink, "is Fire Agate. Many years ago she was severely cracked in a war, to the point of shattering. She wouldn't have been if it weren't for my carelessness so I vowed to find a way to heal her gem...and that's where you come in," she said handing the yellow bubble over to the perplexed gem, "I created you in hopes that you would be able to heal gems. I believe you can," Pink said sitting down on the ground looking intently at the gem, "at least I think you can, I'm not sure but I'm confident you can. I've been waiting for this for so long," she said to nobody in particular, "I can't wait to see what happens...but please be careful," she said frantically to the gem who was looking at the bubble getting ready to pop it, "Fire Agate's gem is so cracked that it could break at any moment! I would be devastated if it were to shatter now after all these years when I was so close. But...I also hope this doesn't fail..." This caused the gem even greater anxiety than she already felt. The poor thing already felt incredible pressure to practically perform a life-saving miracle for this intimidating giant and she hadn't the slightest idea how to do such a thing at all.

"I...I will do all that I can," said the gem as she finally mustered all of her courage and popped the bubble and she gently cradled Fire Agates' gem in her hands. The gem tried and tried to think or do and perform...whatever it was expected of her. She could feel how badly damaged the gem in her hands was. No matter how hard she tried to perform...what she was suppose to do, nothing was happening. It was also very hard when you had two onlookers who were gawking so intensely at you that it was making her all the more nervous. Finally after a few minutes of trying, Pink Diamond finally sighed and her face fell in quiet acceptance.

"It's...alright," she quietly said, "you did your best. It may have been asking too much of you to do such an enormous task when you are so new and the only one of your kind. I am sorry. Here," said Pink reaching back for Fire Agate's gem, "let me take her back and-"

"No wait," said the gem quickly pulling her hands away, "please let me try a little longer."

"Any longer and Fire Agate might reform and that could lead to disaster," said Pink.

"Please," said the gem who was now beginning to become upset, "let me be useful."

"I'm sure you will be," said Pink who was beginning to lose her temper, wrapped one hand around the body of the gem to hold her still so she could get hold of Fire Agate's gem, "but not in this way, now just-" But the gem suddenly moved the gemstone close to her face in desperation.

"Please," the gem said quietly as she started to cry, "one last attempt, please!" With that last plea, a single tear fell onto Fire Agate's gem and something that could only be described as a miracle happened. The gemstone began to glow, but then the fissures began to seal up and soon it was if they had never happened at all. This caused all three gems in the room to gaze at the now fixed gemstone with their mouths hanging open in pure awe. The new gem slowly set Fire Agate down on the cushion of the seat and brushed the remaining tears out of her eye while barely containing her excitement and joy. Slowly Fire Agate's gem rose up and soon she reformed and as she landed, she stood up slowly and looked about her and felt her gem as in shock of her own existence.

"How," stuttered Fire Agate in utter bewilderment, "how am I not shat-" but before she could even finish her confused statement she was snatched up by Pink Diamond so suddenly and whisked around so violently that she was convinced that perhaps that this was a shattering vision of some sort.

"Oh Fire Agate," said Pink Diamond hugging her so tightly that Fire Agate wished she would poof, "I am so happy that you are whole again! I never stopped researching into healing gems and I'm sure you're wondering 'how', well here is the gem I created who restored you," she said setting a very disoriented Fire Agate back down on the window seat. She swayed a bit but was steadied by the new one-eyed pink gem who smiled sweetly at her. Fire Agate straitened up and under normal circumstances, given the uncut gem and gem type she wouldn't have, but she bowed to the gem and said:

"Thank you, for healing my gem and saving my life."

"It...it is my purpose to do so," said the gem with a smile, "I can feel it. To protect and love others." Fire Agate raised her eyebrow at the last part but as she didn't want to argue with the one who had saved her life, she let it be. She then turned to Pink Diamond and saluted.

"And thank you," she said, "for not giving up on me and creating...what gem is this again?"

"Um," said Pink sheepishly, "she doesn't have a name as of yet but we'll come up with one soon enough. However, you best report back to Yellow Diamond, I'm sure she'll be pleased to have you back into her services. Pearl," she said turning to her "while you're letting Fire Agate out, go bring White Diamond here, I wish to show her our new gem to her."

"Indeed," said Fire Agate. With that, Fire Agate hopped down from the window seat and the two gems left the room, leaving Pink and the other pink gem alone.

"Who is White Diamond," asked the gem.

"She is like I am," said Pink, "only she has created all the other gems types that are out there. When you meet her I think she will be very impressed with you and your abilities. You will be a very useful and vital member of my court." The gem smiled up at Pink, seemingly pleased with the praises.

"However," said Pink, "She's a bit of a stickler when it comes to edicate so when she comes into the room salute her like this," Pink then showed the gem the Diamond Salute, to-which the gem mimicked directly.

"Very good," Pink said, "and don't worry," she said smiling down at her, "I'm sure she'll love you too." The gem nodded hopefully up at her. Soon White and Pearl had come into the room.

"You wished to see me," asked White, "Pearl said that you had-" but White stopped talking when she saw the new gem, who quickly saluted White.

"Is this the gem you created," asked White with an air of curiosity that Pink had never heard her in before.

"It is," ,said Pink with a bit of pride in her own voice, "she only came out a few hours ago. Not only that but," she came up to White and grabbed her hands and looked in Whites eyes excitedly, "she did it White. She was able to heal Fire Agate's gemstone. It was if she had never been cracked at all. It was nothing short of a miracle." White only nodded at Pink and let her hands go, she obviously was far more interested in the new gem and wanted to get a closer look at her. White held out her hand and the gem gently stepped onto her hand. White raised up her hand and looked at the gem.

"What a marvelous form," said White as she looked over the gem, "she has a certain aesthetic appeal that I haven't seen in any of my gems. I suppose that comes from where your mineral origin comes from, and of course your creator," White seemed to be only talking to herself at this point, but she sounded and looked so amused that both Pink and the gem didn't mind at all.

"The quartz rock is very interesting indeed," said White as she gently brushed the gemstone with one of her long fingernails, which caused the gem to flinch and instinctively cover it with one of her hands, "I wonder what else you are capable of? No matter, you have done well for your Diamond," said White as she looked at her.

"Have I," asked the quartz, "I am pleased that I have."

"As you should be," said White, "that is the purpose of all gems; to serve and to fulfill their ultimate purpose. I know," said White to the gem, "that you don't know what your name and purpose is yet, but you and the rest of your cut will soon enough."

"We will," she asked sounding excited.

"Yes," White said raising her head high and giving her a smile and stroking the gems' hair, "though your gemstone remains unnamed, you will be known as 000, the first in the records."

"Thank you," she said smiling and saluting White and bowing, "I hope to serve My Diamond and you well."

"You will," said White as she gently stroked the gem's hair, then suddenly clenched her fist tightly so that the gem poofed in her hand so that only the unpolished gemstone remained in her fingers and before Pink could react, White promptly crushed the gem between her finger and thumb.

"Now, I know you're going to be upset," said White very monotone to Pink as she continued to crush the gem between her fingers, "so before you-"

"Why did you do that," breathed out Pink in shock, causing White to sigh in annoyance, "she was the only one of her kind and...and she was  _MY_  gem. I spent so much time and energy and-" here Pink stopped talking when she realized that what she was saying was a bit selfish, "...and of course the gem's life was important as well," she cleared her throat in embarrassment, "she trusted us White."

"As I was going to explain," said White, "I know you will be upset losing your new gem like this, especially as one as nice as that one was. However this is how we will get more like her, Pearl," she said turning to her Pearl who had followed her, "hold up a vial for me." White Pearl summoned a vile from her gemstone and held it up high for White Diamond, who somehow for something of her size managed to fill the vial of the ground-up gemstone without spilling any of it.

"Take this to my personal lab," said White, "and I shall work on it in a few moments." White Pearl bowed low and slowly left the room, her only sign of her distress of what she had just witnessed.

"That still doesn't answer my question as to why you suddenly felt the need to shatter my-" Pink quickly checked herself again, "to shatter that new gem with no remorse."

"Do you remember," White said looking up and waiving to the surrounding room, "who build the temple in my honor, who the first generation of gems I produced were? They were just like that gem you had there."

"But that still-"

"Hush," said White, "and let me finish. Your gem was very fortunate. She was a fine shape, had no physical oddities. While most of MY first gems however, some had short limbs or missing limbs all together. Misshapen bodies, deformities and all unpolished gems; all unknowing what to do with no directions in their life. That didn't stop them from," said White with the wistfulness of nostalgia, "from adoring me and each-other. They worked night and day despite everything, just to make-" White shook her head.

"There are three down sides of making gems manually: deformities, low number count and uncut gemstones. The deformities are permanent and cannot be altered. Modern techniques has dramatically reduced the amount of deformities to the point where it is in the minority rather than the majority. Then comes to the number count. As you know first hand, it is very painful and tiring just to make one gem, so imagine trying to fill an entire kindergarten," Pink nodded at this, she did know that.

"And the uncut gemstones," asked Pink, "what problems do they bring about?" White shrugged.

"Don't you think that a cut gemstone is much more appealing to look at than an uncut one? I think so." Pink tilted her head at this, but said nothing.

"Anyway," continued White, "I figured out how to mass produce gems with technology, but in order to do that...a sacrifice had to be made."

"The first generation of gems?"

"Yes," said White, "any new gem type, if it is to be mass produced must have a proto gemstone used in order to make copies and only a gem created by a Diamond such as you or I will work, and the entire gem must be used." Pink was quiet for some time, but finally asked:

"When making the sacrifices," asked Pink, "did the gems offer themselves willingly, or did they go the way of my gem did?"

"A mixture," said White who didn't feel the need to lie, "some willingly died for the future of gemkind, others didn't know what happened...others shattered kicking and screaming," she paused and looked at Pink, "what do you think of that?" Pink paused, White Diamond was staring at her with a keen interest, but a very neutral expression so it was impossible to tell what she expected of her, if she even expected anything out of her at all. Finally she said.

"What happened in the past is the past," she said slowly, "but this is the present and I don't like what you did to my gem so...don't ever shatter my gems so needlessly like that ever again, even if it is for some benefit." White looked at her for a moment, but then nodded.

"Agreed," she said, "I should have told you what I had intended to do. For that I apologize."

"I wouldn't have let you do that," said Pink, "If you had told me that you were going to shatter her." White smiled.

"Now you know why I shattered her without telling you," she reached around Pinks' waist and lead her out of the room, "really Pink, you are a very predictable and sensitive gem. I know you are upset that 000 is gone, but think of what good the new gemtype will bring about for Homeworld and gemkind," White smirked, "you will have to think of a name for the gem before we begin to produce them." They entered White's room where White Pearl waited with 000's remains in the glass vial. White looked over at Pink who was still looking downtrodden from her success and her loss.

"Now don't sulk," said White, "today is a victory for us. Here," said White as she handed Pink one of her cakes, "I'm sure that this is some of the reason of your sour mood. There's a good gem," she said turning away from her. Pink glared at the cake and then at White, she was getting agitated with White for treating her like this...and she was also mad that she really did want the stupid cake. As White gathered her needed materials for her experiment, White continued on while Pink silently ate the cake.

"Seeing this new gem has made me reconsider the planet that the mineral had come from," she said with a smile, "perhaps it is worth our time after all. I have decided," she said turning to Pink, who didn't look particularly flattering at the moment with her mouth full, "that I am letting you colonizing the planet." Pink swallowed hard, out of shock and to hurry and get her mouth cleared out.

"Really," she asked, "do you really mean it?"

"I do," said White, "now I know the planet is quite some distance away," she said turning away from her, "and it will be fundamentally cutoff from Homeworld for sometime but I believe you can manage it on your own. When your court is prepared enough," said White, "set a course for," but before she could finish she was hugged so tightly that she was caught off guard.

"I can't believe this," cried out Pink, "my first colony! I can't wait to tell Yellow, she'll be so excited! She wanted to give me some advice before I began my first one, I should go tell her...I did want to see her reaction about Fire Agate anyway. Thank you White," said Pink hugging White again before speeding off towards the warp pads to go find Yellow. White huffed and straitened her dress and cloak. She chuckled to herself.

"As I said," she told herself quietly, "a very predictable gem."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought about it long and hard about the Diamond's flaws and I wanted to model them off of the Seven Deadly Sins however I will show and explain what/why I have come up with in the next chapter, but what do you guys think the Diamond's sins are? I'd like to know.
> 
> Thank you guys for sticking around with me! I always enjoy reading your comments and input!


	10. Chapter 10

The clicking of high-heals echoed loudly off the walls, the only other sound White could hear (to her slight amusement) was Yellow Diamond nearly snorting in pure irritation as she rapidly paced back and forth. Her back was turned towards her, but she was sure that Yellow's hands were clasped tightly behind her back as they usually were. She always did this display whenever she was extremely irritated with her, and she had not seen her like this in almost six hundred thirty-five thousand years.

"It's too soon," said Yellow turning to White as she continued her marching, "you've given her a colony far too soon. She isn't ready for such a responsibility yet."

"I believe," said White calmly without turning towards Yellow, "that if Pink Diamond is capable of creating a gem on her own, then she is capable of managing a colony. She has proven herself to me."

"This isn't about gem creation," said Yellow calmly, "this is about experience, and she has barely any experience managing gems White. You wouldn't let me go manage my own colony until I was nearly five hundred thousand years old, and Blue was nearly a million years old...White," said Yellow approaching White, "She's barely two hundred years old. She needs more time. Let me or Blue take her for several millenniums to one of our colonies; show her how it is done. Blue Diamond is preparing to-"

"Do you doubt her capabilities as a Diamond," asked White turning to her, "or is this something else? Jealousy does not become you, Yellow." For the first time, Yellow had a scowl on her face. White had always known that out of the other Diamonds, Yellow was the most sensitive when it came to not being able to create gems on her own. She was the only one who still tried to learn while Blue had lost interest many eons ago. Yellow clenched her teeth and ground them slightly, but then swallowed her pride and cleared her mind.

"As I said," Yellow said, however her voice had a slight waver that had not been there earlier, "this isn't about that. This is about preventing what could potentially be a disaster; you can ask Blue Diamond as well," she said turning away," I have already discussed the matter with her and she agrees with me."

"If she ends up needing help," said White, "then we will provide with help when the time comes, however," she said turning towards Yellow, "I reward those who earn it, and she has certainly earned it by providing Homeworld with something useful. It is rather nice, for once," she said turning away from Yellow, "that it finally came from another Diamond." Yellow could only blankly stare at the back of White's head. Not really wanting to admit that White was right; not wanting to admit that her words had stung her in a way she didn't fully understand. White turned her head slightly so that only just the faintest part of her eye could see Yellow still standing there, looking somewhat defeated.

"Are you still there," she asked her, "I thought you would have left by now, knowing how busy you usually are?" White could hear Yellow's dress whip in the air as Yellow quickly turned to leave; her wounded pride in each stride. White closed her eyes and sighed as she rubbed a sensitive spot near her gem. Yellow did have a point, a very valid point. However she did feel confident that the planet in question was so plentiful that it would be exceedingly simple to colonize. If Pink did have trouble, and she probably would as all new Diamonds did, then they would help. Yellow was simply being over protective, it was her nature. Out of all the Diamonds, Yellow seemed to be most concerned for all gems' overall happiness and well-being. She would be fine soon enough, she would soon see that her concerns were simply over-exaggerated.

Yellow first tried to work to take her mind off of her disasterous meeting with White, but she was still too irritated so she stood up and simply paced back and forth in the Throne Room, even wondered if she would go to her own private chambers until she was calm again. She heard someone enter the Throne Room; she turned to see who it was and saw that Blue had entered the room. Yellow shook her head and continued her pacing and decided that perhaps it would be best to go to her chambers.

"By your pacing and scowling," said Blue calmly as she went to her throne and sat down, "it seems that you and White did not see eye to eye in the matter of Pink's new colony."

"She's an old fool," Yellow said, "she's completely blind to what she's doing. She can't see the disaster that will take place if Pink is allowed to take a colony so soon."

"Even I see that she is too young," said Blue, "but a disaster? I wouldn't go as far as to say that Yellow."

"Am I the only one who is thinking about what will happen?"

"Of course not," said Blue, "but you always only think about the disasters. What is done is done; Pink Diamond has a colony. Let us be proud of her and her...accomplishment," she said the last part with a bit of strain in her voice, "and be supportive of her." Yellow turned to her and sighed.

"Tell me Blue," she said sitting down and finally showing how tired she looked, "and be honest as I will be: are you slightly jealous?"

"Of what," asked Blue.

"Of Pink getting a colony so early, or her actually creating a gem on her own," Yellow turned away from Blue and clasped her hands in her lap, "or White seemingly favoring her." Blue seemed taken back from the last part, but she looked away and quietly said:

"A bit of all of it, but I can see why on the last part," she said turning towards Yellow, "you can't deny it; Pink is a very sweet gem."

"Sweet but naive," said Yellow, "and she's getting far too much too soon. It will ruin her."

"Oh you worry too much," said Blue waving her hand towards Yellow turning away from her.

"I've seen it before," Yellow said with a small smirk, causing Blue to quickly turn back towards her and give her a scowl.

"What is that suppose to mean," she asked glaring at Yellow.

"You're very spoiled," said Yellow, "and I say this in the most loving way I can: It hasn't done much for you over the centuries. I remember when you first came out, you were so quiet and reserved...I would even say shy; but then," she said turning towards her, "White let you have your way more and more and soon you just," she shrugged, "changed. We all do, I suppose. I'm sure I am not the same gem I was when I first emerged. I guess I just want," she said with a slight marigold blush flushing on her face as she turned away from Blue, "I just don't want her to change so quickly."

"The great hard and rigid Yellow Diamond," said Blue with a sly smile, "blushing. I thought I would never see the day." Yellow's face scrunched up tighter, clearly embarrassed. Blue smiled.

"I will ignore your comment about me," she said raising her head up pridefully, "because I don't think it is completely true, but I will admit, it must be hard watching ones you care about changing in ways you don't fully approve." Yellow nodded, she knew Blue didn't understand and now it was her turn to see what could and most likely would happen.

"Don't worry Yellow," said Blue, "Pink has us to watch over her, she is not alone, and you are not alone in this anymore." Yellow turned to Blue who gave her a smile. It was very comforting to know that finally she had someone who would back her up, even if it was someone to simply to talk too. White use to support her, but she had become distant and it was hard to approach her, be it her own ego or White being so intimidating for anything. Yellow closed her eyes and chuckled.

"I appreciate your support," she said quietly.

* * *

"How long do you think it will take to get to the planet," asked Pink to Yellow. Yellow shook her head.

"These things take time," she said calmly, "and you're jumping far ahead: First of all, you don't even have any Colonial Dropships yet, and those are very complicated to build. How do you think you will even get any gems to the planet in the first place without any ships? Second, Dropships take a lot of time to construct," she said looking at her, "and now that you have gems of your own, they are expected to construct them for you, and no, before you ask we will not lend you any." Pink's face fell, she was just about to ask that.

"Third," said Yellow continuing typing on her holo-pad, "given the distance of the planet and looking at the records from when the planet samples were taken," Yellow began to mumble about 'factoring current technological advancements', "If, and that is a very heavy if, your small court manages to construct the proper amount of Dropships's within a generous time-frame of twenty-five years; I would estimate that it will take about one hundred years to travel to the planet with the given advancements we have, fifty if we pushed it."

"So we could theoretically be at the planet in seventy-five years then," asked Pink. Yellow sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Pink," she sighed again, "you're only thinking about going there as soon as possible. I understand you're excited. Believe me I was very excited when I finally was able to colonize for the first time as well but I had time to build up my gems and gain experience. You hardly have any gems to your name, and you're rushing things through. You're making the very same mistake I did millenniums ago. Learn from mine, and take your time with this." Pink huffed and sank in her throne, but Yellow only continued typing.

"Patience will reap you rewards in the future, you will see."

"Yes I know," said Pink, "but I'm just very excited. I was worried that I wouldn't-" but she paused and decided not to finish, but Yellow stopped her work and looked over at her.

"Wouldn't what," asked Yellow. Pink sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"It's silly," Pink chuckled, "but I didn't think that until a solution to my," she paused and gestured at her gem with her hands, "issue was solved that I wouldn't be of any use to the Authority; that I was going to just sit here until then and only be a figurehead leader. Now though," she said looking over at Yellow, "I feel like I actually did something important, something useful and...I finally feel excited to be...a Diamond." Yellow calmly looked at Pink as she told her this and when she finished her small speech, she sighed and minimized her holo-monitor and put her fingers to her temple, much like White Diamond would do. She gave Pink a very strange small smirk with a raised eyebrow.

"Damn your amusing speeches," she finally said, "I suppose I could spare a few members of my court to help you build some of your Dropships, but only on the condition," she said pointing a gloved finger to her, "that I shall be allowed to help guide your early colonization efforts without protest. You need someone to-" but before she could finish she was immediately tackled and pressed deep within her throne.

"Thank you," cried out Pink as she continued her smothering, "of course I agree to the terms! I appreciate all you do for me and-"

"Yes, that's lovely," said Yellow trying to push her off of her, "but please get off."

"What," said Pink, "afraid of a little hug?" Yellow only grumbled, she wasn't about to tell Pink that she was crushing her with her weight and it was very uncomfortable. Finally Pink stood back up and gave Yellow much relief.

"I really do appreciate your help," Pink said again.

"I know," Yellow said, "but understand that these things will take time, even with help."

"Do you think Blue will help as well," asked Pink hopefully as she sat back down in her throne. Yellow hummed as she reopened her holo-monitor.

"I wouldn't doubt it," she said, "but you should only ask if you need it. You already have my help," she said looking over at her, "I know you want to go as fast as possible but-"

"I know, I know," said Pink, "I need to have patience."

"Very good," said Yellow typing away, "now go and organize your gems and get started on your work, you've got a lot of planning ahead of you. If you need help with it, let me know." Pink nodded in agreement and took her leave. Yellow was right, she did have a lot of planning ahead of her. It was most certainly the boring part, but it was indeed very critical. She made her way to her chamber and sat in her chair and pulled up her monitors to begin her planning. After a few minutes, it was becoming evident that this was going to be the hard part for her, as she was quickly loosing interest in it.

"My Diamond," asked Pearl from the corner of the room, "if I may, would you like some assistance in planning your colony?" Pink looked over at Pearl's eager face. She knew better: this was Diamonds' work, meant for her only; not for Pearls.

"Well," said Pink looking back at the monitor then back at her, "this is really a Diamonds' work...but that doesn't mean you can't offer some advice," she said...then got a little idea, "and...perhaps if you really want to, you could type up the orders."

"Oh," replied Pearl enthusiastically, "I would be delighted to do so!" She quickly hopped over towards the chair and positioned herself comfortably on Pink's chair as she adjusted the holo-monitor to her size.

"You may dictate what you will," she said looking up behind her with a glimmer in her eyes, "My Diamond." Pink smiled and rubbed Pearl's back with one finger. Perhaps it was a bit mean (and a bit more lazy) to make Pearl type up her work, but she had offered her services, hadn't she?

"Thank you for your help Pearl," said Pink as she continued rubbing her back. Pearl didn't see anything wrong with this. She saw this as her doing something very important, something not many pearls would ever be allowed to do. She felt a very lucky gem indeed.

A few hours later...fifty-eight to be exact...and the basic outlines and orders of the colony was in place. Pearl saved and duplicated the orders and distributed them to all of Pink's senior gems so they could begin their work. Pearl rubbed her hands together, they were cramping from all that typing that she had done, but thankfully it was done for now. It wouldn't have been so bad, but Pink talked so fast it was hard to keep up with her words, then she would change her mind making her re-write things. She stood up and stretched her back.

"You did very well," said Pink as she too stood up from her chair, "if I had been typing, I would still be working on the third order. Thank you again Pearl."

"Oh, it was my pleasure," said Pearl as she bowed. She looked over at Pink as she laid down on her bed and took something from a small cubbyhole near the side of it. It was one of those odd cakes that Yellow and White always provided for her. It wasn't her place to say anything, she knew that but she found it somewhat concerning.

"My Diamond," she asked quietly, "I know it's not my place to ask, but aren't those suppose to satisfy you for several years at a time?" Pink looked down at Pearl then at the cake in hand. She sheepishly twirled some of her hair in her free hand.

"Well yes," she replied, "I mean, they're suppose too but, lately they haven't been lasting as long so I've been sneaking them from Yellow's room. She's hardly ever in there so I doubt she's noticed."

"Won't she find out," asked Pearl not hiding her fear.

"Eventually," said Pink taking a bite, "I suppose I'll just have to tell her the truth soon. I am," she said blushing, "slightly embarrassed though."

"You shouldn't be," said Pearl reassuringly, "It's not your fault." Pink only blushed a bit more. What Pink wasn't telling her was that she figured that it was indeed her fault it wasn't working as well as it use too, because awhile ago she sneaked one just because she wanted an extra one and ever since then she had cravings.

"Regardless," Pink said clearing her throat, "I should still speak with her about it, I hope she'll understand."

* * *

Black Rutile finished writing up her report right before she had to go on her rounds of the facility. She had a lot of responsibilities as Facility Manager, and had to make sure that all of the other managers had their areas clean and well organized. As Facility Manager, she had access to all areas of Project F, including the restricted areas, which was fascinating and horrifying. There was something morbidly wonderful to her however, to be included in this project. There must have been a part of her that must be defective, she supposed, to find intrigue and to some extent...joy to be apart of this twisted project. There were gems who were suffering every day, many fearing that they would be shattered...some begging to be and yet here she was, treating them as if they were some organic to be studied as if they didn't matter and having pride with each success. However the process of science and learning was cold and cruel and it didn't care who or what suffered at the hands of higher education, very much like the Diamonds themselves.

As she walked down the halls, she made sure that they were clean. The halls were impeccable. The pearls seemed to be doing their jobs well. The team of pearls given to Project F was the most obedient group of pearls she had ever seen, especially after the first month there. After seeing what was really going on at the facility, the pearls knew that they could easily become...expendable and they had to make sure they remained useful at all times. She paused when she realized she was receiving a call from Peridot 3C9. She opened up her holo-monitor and saw Peridot in the screen but froze up when she also saw Yellow Diamond in the video feed as well. She saluted the Diamond and bowed.

"Black Rutile Facet-2352 Cut-5TG, Project F Facility Manager at your service," she said very somber.

"Yes," said Yellow, "One of White Diamond's gems," said Yellow who had looked up Black Rutile's information, "one of her rarest gems," she said raising her eyebrow, "I like a gem who knows how to serve her empire with work."

"Your words humble me," said Black Rutile.

"Enough pleasantries," said Yellow waving her hand, "let us get down to business as to why I have called. I need you to increase production of Solution C as soon as possible. You will be given the necessary requirements for it from one of Blue Diamond's colonies." Peridot didn't say anything, but Black Rutile made a small audible gasp that caught Yellow's attention.

"Is there a problem," asked Yellow.

"With all do respect," bowed Black Rutile, "but as is, Project F was designed to be a research facility, not a processing plant. We do not have the space, equipment or gem power to increase Solution C production without creating a separate facility." Yellow looked at Black Rutile, but surprisingly nodded.

"Agreed," she said, "I will send out a team to construct a new wing of the facility, once done, you know what to do with them." Black Rutile's eyes dimmed as she nodded.

"Until then," said Yellow, "you will simply have to make do. The first shipment of supplies should be arriving by tomorrow and I want the first batch made by the end of the week . Keep me informed." With that, Yellow Diamond cut her end of the feed, leaving only Peridot's and Black Rutile's still on. Only then did Peridot show any emotion and it was pure rage.

"I can't BELIEVE them," she said in a fit, "don't they know how hard it is trying to do all this work, and on top of it making that...that..."

"I know," said Black Rutile trying to calm her down, "but we've been given orders. All we can do now is try to do what is asked of us."

"I'm just so frustrated with her," said Peridot mumbling under her breath.

"Who," asked Black Rutile, "Yellow Diamond or-"

"No," cried out Peridot waving her arms around in frustration, "that blasted Pink Diamond! It's more than obvious what's happened! She's sabotaging herself and nobody's going to correct her behavior at all. They're just going to let her just do as she pleases. I wonder if she even has ever read one...ONE of my reports?! If she did, then she would know what exactly what went in those things she consumes and then perhaps she would be more conservative with them."

"If she did," said Black Rutile, "I don't think she would even touch them." Peridot looked to the side and hummed.

"You're probably right," she said, "but that doesn't excuse her from keeping herself ignorant. It's not like she could find out from myself or asking Yellow or White."

"True," said Black Rutile, "but perhaps you would be wise what you do and say. I've been serving White Diamond for nearly sixty-thousand years now," she said, "and I know for a fact if she doesn't want something known, she will go out of her way to keep it unknown. Perhaps this is the case with Pink? You could get yourself in trouble if you go and do something rash like that." Peridot seemed to calm down a bit from that bit of advice.

"I didn't realize you were that old," mumbled Peridot. Black Rutile nodded and thought about it.

"I often don't think about it myself," she said, "I don't think any of my generation of gems still exist. I think I am still around because of my rarity and I've learned to keep in line," she said looking hard at Peridot, who only looked away.

"Look," said Black Rutile, "I've got a lot of new work ahead of me now. I have to get the processing area ready and," she sighed, "and I have to plan for the construction crew when they arrive, not to mention my usual facility duties."

"Yes-yes," said Peridot, " 'no rest for the wicked', isn't that something White Diamond says every so often?"

"I believe so," said Black Rutile, "I think she picked it up from organic life forms from one of her colonies long ago."

"How ironic," Peridot said dryly.

* * *

White looked over at the figures of Pink Diamond's colonial efforts; it was very apparent that Yellow and Blue was helping her to some extent. She knew that those two would help her to some degree. Normally, she would have been more strict about these things, but for the first time in such a long time she was excited for a prospect of a new colony. Perhaps it was the prospect of the new gem type that had sparked the new interest within her, but there was the smallest bit of regret of not taking the planet for herself. However, the planet would be incredibly easy to colonize; perfect for such a young Diamond to cut her teeth on with little chance of failure. She was just finishing reading the last report when she received a outside call. To her surprise, it was Peridot 3C9, calling at an earlier time than normal.

"My Diamond," Peridot dryly said while saluting, causing White to raise her eyebrow at it, "Peridot reporting in on requested increasement of Solution C. Production has increased per requested by thirty percent and should increase by another fifteen by the end of the week. When the new facility is built production should be more stable within the following weeks." White closed her eyes and rubbed the area near her gem.

"Peridot," White said after opening her eyes and looking hard at Peridot, "I have no idea what on Homeworld what you are talking about. Care to explain to me why you have increased Solution C production? You know how I feel about it, and I do not like to waste such valuable resources to create that product and I. do.  **not. like.**  to not be told of things  _ **AFTER**_  they are already done!" White shouted as she slammed her hands down hard on her armrests, cracking them and causing some sparking in parts of the chair. Peridot started shaking, she didn't know that White Diamond had no idea about the new facility and product increase. Peridot tried to keep calm, but with White Diamond's eyes literally glowing with anger and scowling hard at her it was very hard to do so.

"I am very sorry my Diamond," she said saluting, "but I was contacted by Yellow Diamond and requested to increase production. I am only following through and giving my report on it." White Diamond took in a deep breath and settled down into her chair. She looked to the side and sighed deeply not covering her irritation with Yellow. Rubbing the same spot near her gem, she looked back over at a slightly shivering Peridot in the video feed.

"When was the order given," White asked more calmly.

"A-A month ago, My Diamond," said Peridot. White hummed and sat up straight.

"How many gems are working on the new processing facility," White asked.

"Nearly four hundred, My Diamond," said Peridot quietly. White Diamond sighed, knowing that each one of those gems wouldn't ever leave Project F.

"Such a waste," said White, "It could have been done with half that amount of gems. Where are the new resources coming from?" Peridot looked to the side, but then said quickly:

"From Blue Diamond's 4th Colony, My Diamond." White closed her eyes again and shook her head, knowing what that meant.

"Very well," sighed White standing up, "thank you for your report Peridot. When the facility is running, please inform me." She ended the call and she turned to leave the room. As she left the room, she glanced at her pearl and said:

"Pearl, go to my bismuths and have them repair my chair," She didn't even acknowledge her bowing and agreeing to do so, White was more determined to go find Yellow or anyone else at the moment. There wasn't anyone in the Diamond Throne Room so she started checking the private rooms. White did find Yellow in one of the rare times when she was in her room. Her back was to her as she was working on something in her chair. White folded her arms and scowled at the back of Yellow's head.

"We need to talk," said White sternly. Yellow paused and turned her head towards White.

"So you know," said Yellow quietly.

"Yes, I know. When where you going to tell me exactly," asked White who was starting to loose her temper.

"When it was complete," said Yellow turning towards her, "I know you don't like to be kept in-"

"Quiet," said White suddenly and sharply. Yellow did as told, knowing that White was already very agitated and it would be unwise to further provoke her.

"Next time," said White, "you will come to me, no matter what the situation is, no matter how you may think I will react to it. Because I would think it would be better to ask permission, than for forgiveness from me," said White pointing a long finger at Yellow. Yellow looked at the finger inches from her nose, giving her a slightly comical look. White was confused, Yellow had hardly ever stepped over her head especially over something so simple as this.

"All I want to know is this: why?" Here White was slightly surprised when it appeared that Yellow was slightly blushing.

"I just," said Yellow tightly, "I didn't want you to get upset with her."

"Well," said White turning out of the room, "unfortunately for her and you, I am. She needs to learn to take responsibility of her actions and you protecting her from me isn't going to help her to learn now is it?" With that White turned out of the room and left Yellow in her room. It was some time later that White eventually found Pink, as she was busy trying to get her colony efforts ready. It was probably for the best for Pink, as it gave White time to calm down and think about what she was going to say.

"Pink," said White, "please come with me, we have somethings to discuss." Pink felt worried, and felt as if she already knew what this was already about, but she quietly followed White down the hall. As they walked, Pink became more nervous.

"Now," White said slowly as they walked, "I know that Yellow had production of Solution C increased for you but the question is, why was Solution C production increased? I can guess as to why, but I just want you to tell me why. I won't get mad," said White turning to her. Pink shrank back and started shuffling her feet a bit.

"Go on," said White.

"Well," said Pink quietly, "I sort of took a...few extra cakes from Yellow's room," she said to White, who looked down at her, "and..." she shrugged letting the words quietly die off. True to her word, White didn't get mad, simply nodded and didn't say anything.

"I see," she finally said, "well then, what's done is done. I'm sure," she said to her, "That Yellow has already told you off for what you have done already?" Pink nodded a bit while looking to the side.

"She did," she said while folding her arms, "while making fun of me."

"You're lucky that's all she did," said White, "and that I had a chance to think about things because I was very angry when I first found out about this as well. This is so," White paused, feeling her temper rise again, "Just...slow down. Don't waste any of it alright?"

"That's what Yellow said too," said Pink, "can you tell me why? What are they made of exactly?"

"You don't need to know as too why and what," said White, "just that you shouldn't waste any of it." Pink huffed in irritation, that was exactly what Yellow had told her as well when she had asked her the exact same thing earlier.

"How many have you been consuming then," asked White.

"Um," said Pink, "I'm only suppose to have one every 5 years but...I've been having one about every...week or so." she said quietly. White groaned and rubbed her forehead, completely irritated at Pinks' greed.

"You have to slow down, I don't care if you wail or make noises," she said poking her, "but you can't keep at that speed. I know that Blue will be willing to provide the necessary provisions for Solution C, but I am not willing to let that pass just so you can feel satisfied for a weeks' time. It's far too costly and I don't like it. You need to learn some self control; I am very disappointed in you. I am going to gain control of all of the Solution C samples and when I see fit, I will give you your allowance."

"That's not fair," said Pink loudly as she grabbed the hem of White's cloak and tugged at it, "you can't just-"

"But I just did," said White as she took her cloak and pulled it back away from Pink. "This meeting is over. If you wish to discuss it further with me, I will be in my private chamber, until then I would suggest you continue working on your colonization efforts." With that White left a very irritated Pink to stand in her wake and think about what to do next.

* * *

A few weeks later, Blue and Pink were sitting in the Diamond Throne Room working on their own respected projects. However Blue was smiling and glancing over at Pink who was scowling hard at her work. When Pink would quickly look over at Blue, she would quickly and playfully look away while trying not to laugh. Pink was in a very uncharacteristic foul mood and Blue found it adorable. Half the reason of her foul mood was Blue's teasing her, the other half was the gnawing empty feeling she felt inside.

"What," Pink finally barked out at Blue who finally smiled and laughed.

"I'm sorry," said Blue "you're just so funny sitting there scowling, it's such an odd look on your face."

"It's not funny," said Pink, "don't make fun of me," she said folding her arms, pouting. Blue only chuckled at Pink's tantrum, which only caused Pink to blush and frown harder at Blue.

"I said stop it," said Pink, her voice slightly cracking at the end. Blue covered her mouth with the back of her hand in attempts to stifle her laughter.

"You're terrible," said Pink as she looked away glaring at the wall.

"Now-now," said Blue as she reached inside her robe, "I have something for you that might make you smile again." Pink didn't say anything, but she looked over at Blue as she pulled out from her robe one of the cakes. Pink sat up and Blue chuckled.

"Ah," said Blue as she waved it, "I caught your attention have I?" Blue smiled as Pink didn't even say anything as she stood up and walked over towards her, but Blue couldn't help but tease her one last time and didn't hand over the cake instead waved it away from her. Pink finally snatched it from her as Blue continued to chuckle at her.

"You're such a tease," grumbled Pink as she walked away.

"Aren't you going to thank me," asked Blue as she continued to smile, "I took a great risk of sneaking that for you, you know." Pink only glared at her as she started to eat the cake.

"Well," said Blue as she sat back, still sporting a grin, "I hope that will improve your mood at the very least. How is your colony efforts coming along?" Pink looked over at her holo-monitor and huffed at it.

"It's more..." she placed her cheek on her fist as she looked hard at the monitor, "clerical...than what I was expecting. I was hoping,"

"That you would instantly go to your colony," said Blue, "I know, I know, but that's not how it works. 'A colony begins in writing', that is what White always says.

"Yes," said Pink, looking away, "so she has said."

"Don't look so down," said Blue, "while yes, there will always be written work to be done, but that is only a small part of it. Soon, your ships will be sent to the planet and then within time, they will have a Galaxy Warp Pad constructed and then you will..."

"Wait," said Pink, "you mean I won't go with the Dropships?" Blue smiled and waved her hand at her.

"Oh, you sweet thing," Blue said, "you don't want to go with the first Dropships! It can take centuries to reach a planet from Homeworld, as I learned the hard way. I did the exact thing you wish to do, and I regret it to this day. Eighty-six years on a Dropship; it gets very old very quick."

"I spent a century in a small room reading books," said Pink looking over at her, "I think I can manage it. Besides I'll have other gems with me, I'm sure they'll be able to keep me entertained enough."

"Yes," said Blue, "but aren't you forgetting something important," she asked raising an eyebrow. Pink thought about it then realized what she meant.

"Oh," Pink finally said, "well...I could...um...let's see," she paused to think but after a few moments finally said, "I'm sure I can come up with a solution for that problem. I wish to go with the Dropships; my mind is made up on that."

"If that is your wish, then you are free to do as you please," said Blue, "just be sure that the ship you wish to ride on is designed to accommodate a Diamond...and perhaps have a large number of pantries for you?"

"Oh, shut up," said Pink as she went back to her work, while Blue smirked at her own.

* * *

**First off, I'd like to apologize for taking so long for an update. I've been quite sick as of late and haven't felt like writing for some time. I know you'll forgive me, but I know many of you look forward to this story and I do enjoy writing it, I hope to have another chapter out before the end of the year but I wouldn't place bets on it.**

**Now as to the matter of the Diamonds and their 'sins' (normally I'd have put this in the notes, but this way it's easier to read imo); this is what I came up with. (Many of you got a lot of them right, but I'm surprised that not many of put more than one to each.) :**

**Yellow: Wrath and Pride.**  Yellow is very proud to be part of the Diamond Authority, proud to be a gem and inorganic, of her status and so on, and so forth. She loves a clean, smooth running machine, (as she sees Homeworld and to an extent gemkind) and doesn't hardly see any flaws within her own species as a whole...perhaps pearls because ew, they come from nasty organics. However if you truly anger her then you had better watch out. Truth be told it is reasonably hard to make her angry enough to truly end you, because she could find better uses for you, being the most logical of the Diamonds after all, she isn't a wasteful one. Her temper only gets worse in the future when true tragedy happens to the Authority and her logic can't find her a reasonable answer for it.

**Blue: Envy and Pride.**  Much like Yellow, Blue enjoys her status and position being a Diamond ensues, enjoying the finer arts and luxuries of privilege. Unlike the others, she controls her court with a tight fist and is willing to enforce death to insure her power over her gems. I am sure you are wondering WHY ENVY? Blue is a Narcissists, and being a narcissists she believes everyone else is envying her because of who she is, and to some degree she can be jealous over others when outdone. It's going to take something drastic to change her character for the better.

**White: Lust, Pride and Wrath.**  Much like the others, White enjoys her status, position and being a Diamond, but she isn't satisfied with her position as the most powerful among her race as she wants to dominate more and more. I don't think she remembers her original goal, if she even had one. If you ever make White mad and I mean truly mad, watch out. There are fates worse than death that she knows about and she knows how to be cruel if she chooses to be. Who knows if she'll ever change.

**Pink: Gluttony and Sloth.**  Ah yes, the easiest one to guess. Pink is a hard worker, when she wants to be and if it's something she's interested in. If it isn't, then she'd rather push it off onto someone else. Pink is much like Blue, she enjoys the finer parts of upper class living, but that's not to say she's a snob. She is a kind gem, but also acts spoiled very quickly. She will often think and do for her own wants and desires before others (she often regrets this later), which will make her very unpopular with certain gems in the future.

**Thank you all again for sticking around for this! I hope you're enjoying it!**

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I'm very sorry for the very late and very short chapter too follow. However I recently had a death in the family, got sick several times and then just didn't feel like writing. I also wanted to get something written before the latest episodes featuring PD and I wasn't going to make it so here's a super short, super rushed chapter~ I'll go back and fix any spelling mistakes later, but I want it up before the episode airs so...yay. I think I would like to add onto this chapter later so I'll let you know if I do or not.
> 
> I also wanted to thank all the new subs and followers I received while on the hiatus, thank you for waiting for me! I hope to give you guys a proper chapter soon! Please go to the end of the chapter for my thoughts on canon PD

Patience was clearly not Pink Diamond's strongest points. Before she was granted her first colony, she was more willing to let gems be in peace, however now she would frequently pester (although no gem would dare use that term when it came to the Diamonds) and interrupt their work. She wouldn't ask them to complete their work faster, but out of the pressure of a Diamond repeatedly and personally checking in on them made the gems in question compelled to work on their respected projects faster and harder than before. Proof alone of how strong the intimating power of the Diamonds was.

 

Eventually, the colonization drop ships were sent on their way to Earth. There was nothing more to do now than to wait for the ships to arrive and construction of the Galaxy Warp Pad to be completed. The best thing to do for now was to continue building her court on Homeworld, and with White's help they introduced the new Rose Quartz type gem into her kindergarten.

 

There had been some complications with the next round of gems in her court, partly due to the dwindling resources and poor planing of gem placement. It also didn't help that most of the gems had been forced into early emergence in their programming by their Diamonds' impatience, resulting in physical deformities and in some cases...major behavior problems that unfortunately resulted in forced shattering of nearly one-fourth that emerged. After learning of this, Yellow was very upset with her and made Pink sit through several lectures about the importance of kindergarten protocol.

 

To Pink, this mattered not because not only did she have a larger court, but the section that had contained the new Rose Quartz was a complete success with no flaws in them. Although she was saddened about the flaws in the other gems...that was her fault, Yellow was right there. Blue however, tended to contradict Yellow; saying as long as she received the desired results she sought then the negative consequences didn't matter in the long run. This...had caused a very long argument between the two matriarchs as it was said right in front of Yellow. The length of which Pink didn't know of, as she left the room as she had grown bored of their bickering after the first four hours.

 

Eventually, word from the drop ships came in: they had arrived to Earth, and construction of the Moon Base had officially begun. Pink had already pestered Yellow and Blue about this, so the only left to do so was White. Finding her in her usual place doing her normal work, Pink tried to sneak up to her, but she wasn't the most stealthy of gems and it didn't help she was giggling the entire time.

 

“Yes Pink,” said White as she didn't take her eyes off her work, “what is it?”

 

“The ships have arrived to Earth,” said Pink to White as she came up to the side of White's throne and slammed playfully into it, causing it to shift slightly, “and construction of the Moon Base has begun.”

 

“Hmm,” was all White said. This wasn't the response Pink really desired, so she stood up and walked around to the other side of the throne in another attempt to get her attention.

 

“It shouldn't be long now,” said Pink, “soon the warp pads will be in place for the the Moon Base and the Galaxy Warp Pads.”

 

“Yes,” said White quietly as she looked over some charts. Pink huffed and tried one last thing to get White's attention without making her angry.

 

“Do you have any last advice before I leave for Earth?” White paused and looked over at Pink, her face grave as she looked her over.

 

“Do you wish to hear what I say,” asked White, “and not take offense?” Pink blinked and nervously chuckled.

 

“I'm sure it's no worse than what I usually hear from Yellow.” White closed her eyes and interlaced her long fingers; resting her chin on top of them.

 

“If you wish to be successful in your exploits, you need to be less intemperate, and more mature. I know you can be more so, but you choose to be...” she gestured with her hand, “not so. I thought it was a phase, but it seems to be a primary character trait of yours. I know you can be more than that, so do try to be so.” Pink took in a deep breath, and exhaled it.

 

“Okay,” she said, “I'll try. I was just,” she said standing back up, “excited about the colony.”

 

“I know,” said White, who was still looking at her charts, “but don't let that distract you from the bigger picture. Make sure to do what must be done when you arrive to your base.”

 

“Yes-yes,” sulked away Pink as she left the room; White barely noticed her leaving.

 

* * *

 

 

Disregarding Pearl's and some of her other higher court members protesting, Pink Diamond had made the decision to travel to the Earth via the Homeworld Warp Pads not riding in her palanquin. It was protocol for a Diamond to observe most of the colonization from the respective moon-base, but seeing that this was her very first colony, she wanted to see the planet up close for herself before it was to be destroyed and she didn't want her first memory of it to be behind a grate.

 

The Earth was a very beautiful and strange planet. The colors on it were radiant, and the smells were overwhelming. When she stepped off the warp pad, it was strange to feel the ground shift under her weight. She also felt some invisible force billowing around her and through her hair, it felt nice. There were so many fascinating sights and things about her colony. She peculiarly enjoyed the flora of her colony, especially when they bloomed. That wasn't to say that she didn't enjoy the other life that lived on her planet. There were many other creatures that flew, swam and crawled on the Earth. It was also standard colonization protocol to document any planetary life that could potentially be a future threat to the colonization process. Yellow Diamond usually destroyed any and all life on her planets before starting her colonization efforts, 'It makes the process much faster and smoother in the long run,' she would always tell her, 'you will learn this for yourself in time.' She didn't particularly agree with Yellow's methods, specifically when it came to enjoying things. Yellow was all work and no play, so it was obvious that Yellow would never enjoy one of her colonies before it was completed. Speaking of enjoying it...

 

* * *

 

 

Bismuth wasn't sure why she had been summoned, all she knew was Blue Diamond had told her that she was to be 'loaned' to the Pink Diamond court until further notice. It was probably for the standard arenas and spires that she had built in the past. Bismuth had been teased a bit by the other bismuths before she left; after all, there were early rumors of the odd nature of the Earth Colony. She was escorted to the temporary headquarters of Pink Diamond...it was a large tent, similar to what was used during the gastroulth war. Bismuth entered and was surprised to find many, many large pillows and potted flowers everywhere. Pink Diamond had several Earth flowers in her hair, and was currently trying her best to string together some more of the same type of flower together, but with her size it was almost comical to watch her attempt.

 

“Bismuth,” Pink said as soon as she noticed her, throwing all known formalities out the window, “I'm glad you made it to Earth! Please come in.” Bismuth still saluted and bowed, not taking any chances, but that only caused Pink to lightly chuckle.

 

“You don't have to do that here,” said Pink up a bit and putting down the chain of flowers, “please sit down Bismuth.” Bismuth paused, and didn't react to the order. If it had been any other Diamond, there would have been severe consequences but Pink just chuckled and leaned down and picked up Bismuth herself and put her down on one of the pillows.

 

“There now,” said Pink as she gathered a small flower and put it into Bismuth's hair, “feel comfortable?” Bismuth looked up to where she believed the flower was, then over to where Pink Diamond was. She smiled down at her as she sank back down into the pillows. She then reached over to a large bowl earth fruits.

 

“Would you like to try one,” asked Pink as she offered the large bowl towards Bismuth. Bismuth looked over at it and slowly shook her head. Pink shrugged and took some of the fruit for herself.

 

“I summoned you here because I wish for you and your team to incorporate this flower design,” she said holing out a pink hibiscus flower, “into all of my personal structures. I would also appreciate it if you could also change my palanquin to match. There's no rush,” she said swirling some of the smaller fruits in the bowl with her finger lazily, “you can start when you get the opportunity, or when you feel like it. If you wish you can take your time to enjoy what Earth has to offer.”

 

As she sat there, quietly observing her behavior, while it wasn't cruel or anything horrible it still bothered her in a very subtle way. Bismuth was a very hard worker, even for her gem type. She was a firm believer in hard work and her work often reflected that. It was becoming very, very obvious to her that she and Pink Diamond were complete opposites in work ethic. Pink seemed to value luxury and beauty, much like her own Diamond, but unlike Blue was much more relaxed...downright lazy about her duties. It was rubbing her in the wrong way, in a strange way she would rather deal with her Diamond's distemper.

 

“Thank you,” said Bismuth standing back up, “but if it's all the same to you, I would like to start on the projects right away.”

 

“Oh, of course,” said Pink who was slightly surprised at Bismuth's flat tone, “please don't let me keep you. If you need anything from me, please let me know.” As she watched Bismuth leave the tent she thought about the meeting and Bismuth's sudden cold attitude. She thought it was weird, she assumed she was being very nice...perhaps she was being too nice? Was there such a thing? She decided she didn't have the best of luck with Bismuths.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO, Pink as a child. I know you guys won't believe me, but I honestly was going to make her a child in my earliest drafts because I thought she was going to be one in the show. I'm not kidding, but I decided against it because in the long run it didn't work out with what I was going to do with the character. It only made sense that Pink was a more immature, slightly bratty person (not horrible bratty but we'll see tonight I guess) being the youngest of the Diamonds. I am really happy I was correct and was smiling when I first saw her on screen and just thought: I was right. The only thing I got wrong was the height...possibly. I don't think she was off color in the show...BUT we'll find out.


	12. My thoughts about the newest episode

So I've been getting PM's from both Fanfiction and AO3 asking how I feel about the latest episode 'A Single Pale Rose' so I've decided to just put my feelings in this 'chapter' and then take it down when the next one is posted. Thank you all for sending me those messages and asks 

THERE ARE SPOILERS SO BE WARNED 

So...Rose was always Pink Diamond. That was one of the oldest SU theories out there I think that first popped up in 'Rose's Scabbard' when 'Rose' called Pearl “My Pearl”. If anyone was on that ship, they were mocked for it, especially if they held onto it up to this point, so if you did you deserve an award.

How do I feel about it: I'm honestly kinda mixed about it. On the one hand, it makes 'Rose's' actions make a lot more scene: A young childish leader was making them the entire time. Pink never thinks about the future, and the results of her decisions. She very much lives in the now, and never thinks of the repercussions of her actions. We can also apply what we know (and hate) about 'Rose' to Pink; how she was a liar, and so forth. It also puts weight on what 'Rose' said to Greg:

“I'm...not...a real person.” She's been playing a part of a 'common rose quartz' for over 6000 years, everything about 'Rose'...is another lie. 

In the show, I do think that it was the plan all along to have Rose as PD, but then people figured out the twist very early on, so then the crew started to put in faults hints, even going as far as telling people on social media that she WASN'T so for that...I'm irritated. I don't like it when actual crew members who are working on a show tell lies like that to try to cover it up. I also think it hurt the twist that this season was suppose to be part of SEASON 3 but it got pushed to SEASON 5, so it made it hard to put extra filler fluff to pad out. This season is called SEASON 3B by the crew so yeah...it shows how they feel about it. Also in order to cover up the twist, they created plot-holes, disregarded their own universe dynamics...it's just irritating. 

Like seriously...Pink's gem literally doubles in size when she reverts to her true form and the FACETS on the gem shift to match the character model...ugh....

On the other hand...I was RIGHT....Pearl was Pink's Pearl. Pink was kinda a butt to her though, making her stay quiet like that wasn't cool. Just another bad decision on her part. 

With all this said: What does that mean for my story? Well, I will be continuing it, but I'm not sure if I will be following cannon or not, but I still have that option now strangely enough, making my story only slightly AU! I'm still thinking about it though...it wasn't at all what I was thinking what was going to happen, so...we'll see~

 

Thanks for reading this, and I hope you all have a great day!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you're enjoying it! Leave a comment for me to read! :D
> 
> If you found any errors let me know! Until next time!


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